Marrying Wives and Attaining Immortality in a Chaotic World

Chapter 201: Divine Punishment?

One month later.

Xu Lian, Ye Beining, Shui Yingyue, Xiang Chengxing, and Wang Er, leading their so-called “elite” forces, had already broken away from the pursuit of the imperial elite Black Armored Troops. They had conquered six counties in a row and gathered hundreds of thousands of people.

Although their numbers didn’t increase significantly, their equipment became more “luxurious” as they sustained themselves through the war. After being tempered by countless battles, their forces had undergone a transformation, becoming no different than the imperial regular troops – even slightly superior. The average Imperial soldiers were no longer a match for them.

If they were to encounter the elite Black Armored Troops again, they could now face them head-on, and it was uncertain who would emerge victorious. However, there was no need for such a confrontation yet, as it wasn’t the time for a decisive battle with the imperial court.

During that month, several events had taken place. The small group that had borrowed troops from Xu Lian earlier had proven to be geniuses. They had risen to power, amassed hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and now roamed the land like a swarm of locusts.

In addition, other faction     s began to borrow troops from Xu Lian or the original faction, spreading like dandelion seeds that took root and sprouted all over the land. One after another, they began to rise, creating a situation of widespread chaos and the emergence of numerous warlords.

Of course, the primary reason for this upheaval was the imperial court’s insatiable greed and its tyrannical rule, which had plunged the people into misery. This provided fertile ground for the rise of the geniuses. If the court had ruled well and the people had lived in peace and prosperity, even the most talented individuals wouldn’t have been able to stir up trouble.

Now, the imperial court was in a dire situation. The chaos was out of control. Despite the constant deployment of elite troops, they couldn’t extinguish the fires of rebellion ignited by the geniuses across the land. As soon as one group was suppressed, another would rise up. What could they do?

The only option was to negotiate. Unfortunately, the geniuses were in firm control of the situation and had no interest in negotiating with the court. They had no desire for titles or positions of power. Instead, they continued to attack cities in search of glowing treasures.

Another six months passed.

The geniuses had gradually consumed most of the imperial territory. Almost every city except the imperial capital had been invaded by the geniuses at least once. The court could only concentrate its remaining elite forces to defend the capital and a few surrounding major cities.

At this point, not only the geniuses, but even the common people knew that the days of the Imperial Court were numbered. The time had come for a final showdown.

So the geniuses led their massive armies and marched toward the imperial capital in a grand procession. Nine months had already passed, and with only three months left before the closure of the Hundred Boats Secret Realm, there was no time to delay. If they didn’t take the capital now, they would miss their chance.

According to their agreement, after capturing the capital and obtaining the glowing treasures, each team would receive an equal share. Among all the teams, Xu Lian’s group wasn’t the largest in number, but they had the most luxurious equipment and the most battle experience. After all, they were the first to rise up and had been gathering strength for a full nine months. Their forces were now formidable enough to clash head-on with the imperial elite troops.

Xu Lian’s elite troops would lead the charge and attack the capital head on, while the other troops would flank or serve as reinforcements. Once Xu Lian’s forces were exhausted, the other troops would take over and continue the attack.

With the combined manpower and resources of 90% of the empire’s territory, the imperial capital and its surrounding cities stood no chance. The fall of the court was inevitable.

As expected, the first month of the decisive battle was a stalemate. In the second month, as resources and manpower dwindled, the major cities surrounding the capital began to fall one by one. The capital itself was on the verge of collapse.

Half a month later, just as the capital was about to be breached, the city gates opened from within. The emperor emerged, pale and trembling with fear, holding a decree of abdication. He knelt before Xu Lian, presenting the decree with both hands raised above his head. Behind him, a large group of royal family members and court officials also knelt down.

Clearly, they had surrendered. If they hadn’t, the capital would have fallen within a day or two. In fact, the city’s internal defenses had already begun to crumble.

Looking at the young emperor, who was only five or six years old, Xu Lian felt a pang of complexity. No wonder the court had become so corrupt. The real power had been seized by eunuchs, imperial relatives, and officials who fought among themselves for power and wealth, leaving the common people to suffer.

Xu Lian accepted the abdication decree and gently patted the young emperor on the head. The child, only five or six years old, had done nothing to deserve this fate. He was innocent.

This small act of kindness seemed to give the young emperor a glimmer of courage. “Will you kill me?” he asked.

“No,” Xu Lian replied firmly. Then, he glanced at the royal family and court officials. These people would undoubtedly have to be purged.

After some discussion, the Geniuses each sent a contingent of elite troops to join Xu Lian’s forces as they marched into the capital and took control.

The Geniuses had no interest in fighting for imperial power. Their first priority was to search the capital for the glowing treasures. As expected, the capital was filled with such treasures, much to the delight of the geniuses. Following their agreement, they gathered the treasures and divided them equally.

In the imperial palace, Xu Lian, wearing the imperial crown and dragon robe, ascended the throne step by step. The geniuses stood by the throne, smiling as they watched him complete the ceremony. They had already received the glowing treasures, so they didn’t care about the rest.

“Long live the emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!” The court officials knelt and kowtowed three times to pay their respects to Xu Lian.

The rituals of this imperial court were even more strict than those of the outside world. In the outside world, court officials didn’t kneel or kowtow-they simply bowed with their hands clasped.

At the end of the coronation ceremony, Xu Lian’s body began to glow. Even his hair emitted light, as if his entire being had been deified!

The smiles on the faces of the geniuses froze. They were all stunned. What was happening?

Even Xu Lian himself was bewildered. He hadn’t expected that becoming an emperor in this world would cause such a transformation.

The expressions of the geniuses changed. If they had known that becoming emperor would bring such benefits, they would never have allowed Xu Lian to take the throne so easily. They would have led their own forces in a fierce battle for the throne, resulting in a chaotic free-for-all. In the end, no one would have claimed the throne, as the Hundred Boats Secret Realm would close in only ten days, leaving no time to determine a victor.

But that would have been better than letting Xu Lian reap the rewards, wouldn’t it? Human nature is such that if one cannot have something, they don’t want others to have it either.

“My body has been deified and integrated into the divine realm. I am no different from the people of this world, no longer weak,” Xu Lian felt this miraculous change.

He flicked his finger, and a golden burst of energy shot out.

“Boom!”

The corrupt official’s body instantly exploded.

The geniuses were completely stunned. It was clear that Xu Lian was no longer bound by the laws of the divine realm, or rather, he had gained the blessing of the divine realm.

The other corrupt officials were all terrified, their faces pale and their bodies shaking uncontrollably.

However, some of the honest officials began to gaze at Xu Lian with fervent admiration.

“Your Majesty, your divine power is unparalleled! You truly are a messenger from heaven!”

“The true dragon has descended!”

Xu Lian began his purge, executing all the eunuchs, imperial relatives, and treacherous officials who had previously controlled the court. Their heads were publicly displayed as a warning.

It was easy to tell who was corrupt and who was honest – just ask the common people of the capital. The eyes of the masses were sharp and discerning.

Next, Xu Lian ordered the geniuses to give up their military power. All of their troops would be turned over to the imperial court for reorganization. Some would be incorporated into the imperial army, while others would be rewarded and sent home to retire.

The geniuses felt bitter, but what choice did they have? Xu Lian was no longer bound by the laws of the divine realm. In this world without cultivators, he was practically a god, invincible and omnipotent.

He alone could defeat all of them combined. Killing them would be as easy as plucking a leaf from a tree.

Reluctantly, they gave in and surrendered all their troops to the court.

They were worried that Xu Lian might take their glowing treasures. Fortunately, Xu Lian did not.

Of course, Xu Lian also had his own concerns. If he were to take the treasures the geniuses had worked so hard to obtain, he would earn their enmity. Once they returned to the outside world, the combined forces of their powerful backgrounds would drown him in a sea of trouble.

After all, every genius had the backing of a major faction. To insult a genius was to insult an entire powerful force. Even with the support of the White Fox Town Guard Commander, the Huo Clan of the Sword Pavilion, and the Thirteen Clans, Xu Lian couldn’t afford to make enemies of three to four hundred major factions.

“Xu Lian, did you know all along that becoming emperor would grant you the blessings of the laws of the divine realm?” Ye Beining stared at Xu Lian, as if trying to see through his thoughts. “If that’s the case, you’ve played us all. We helped you conquer the world, and you reaped the greatest reward.”

Xu Lian chuckled. “If only I were that smart.”

Ye Beining thought about it and realized that throughout history, countless geniuses had entered the Hundred Boats Secret Realm, but none had ever become emperor here. How could anyone have known?

The other geniuses looked at Xu Lian with envy.

“Anything that glows will become a priceless treasure once it is taken out of here. And you… you’re glowing all over. Imagine what that means.”

“With the divine realm’s laws blessing you, it might be impossible for even a mighty figure to harm you. You might become invincible.”

Xu Lian was so thrilled that he nearly fainted. This trip had been more than worth it.

But Shui Yingyue interjected, “Don’t celebrate too soon. Be careful not to let your joy turn to sorrow. Everyone here is glowing, but they’re all trapped and can’t leave. What if you’re stuck here as well?”

At these words, the room fell silent.

Xu Lian frowned. That was indeed a concern!

The other geniuses also looked uncomfortable.

“Legend has it that this divine realm tried to ascend as a whole, but was punished by the heavens and cursed to remain trapped here. Now that you’re blessed by the laws of the divine realm, it might not be a good thing. You might face divine punishment once you leave.”

“If that happens, you are finished…”

The more they analyzed it, the colder Xu Lian felt. Damn it, could that really happen?

Ye Beining’s eyes gleamed as he said, “If you’re worried about divine punishment, why not give the throne to me? I’m willing to take the risk.”

“…” Xu Lian looked at Ye Beining suspiciously. He had a rather bold idea. “Do you know something that I don’t?”

Ye Beining shook his head. “I don’t. If I did, I would have already planned to take the throne from you. How could I let you become emperor so easily? I just want to take a risk.”

Xu Lian thought about it and realized that he had a point. But now he was torn. Should he take the gamble?

There were three possibilities:

He would be trapped here forever, unable to leave.

He could leave but would face divine punishment, possibly risking his life.

He could leave without facing divine punishment and reap immense rewards.

In terms of probability, there was a one-third chance of a huge win and a two-thirds chance of a devastating loss.

“Fine, I’ll give you the throne,” Xu Lian said through gritted teeth, making the difficult decision.

He was not a risk taker by nature. He never liked gambling, especially not with his life on the line. This wasn’t the outcome he wanted.

As long as he returned safely to the outside world, he could continue to grow stronger through his own efforts. The laws of the divine realm weren’t indispensable to him.

Some of the more daring geniuses were tempted and stepped forward to compete with Ye Beining for the throne.

“Give me the throne! I’m willing to risk it!”

“Let me take the risk!”

Others, like Xu Lian, preferred to err on the side of caution and didn’t fight for the throne. They also feared divine punishment.

Ye Beining’s face darkened in anger. “I was the first to suggest that Xu Lian abdicate. Why are you all trying to take it away from me? Xu Lian and I are from the same faction. If anyone should take the throne, it’s me!”

Xu Lian found it amusing that so many people were willing to gamble with their lives. “I’ll give it to Ye Beining. After all, I already promised.”

The other geniuses who wanted the throne had no choice but to give in.

So another coronation ceremony was held…

The court officials were puzzled. Was the throne just a toy to be passed around?

But their objections were useless. They had no choice but to submit.

“Long live the emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!”

Ye Beining, now wearing the imperial crown and dragon robe, ascended the throne step by step, accepting the obeisance of the court officials.

However… the divine light remained on Xu Lian. Ye Beining looked no different than before. He hadn’t been deified.

Ye Beining was extremely embarrassed. What was going on?

The other geniuses couldn’t help but laugh.

Of course, only the first outsider to ascend the throne would be deified. Passing the throne to another outsider would have no effect.

“The one who didn’t want it got the blessings of the divine realm, while I, who wanted it, got nothing,” Ye Beining sighed. He removed the crown, took off the dragon robe, and returned the throne to Xu Lian.

Xu Lian felt like the throne was a hot potato that he couldn’t get rid of. It was forcing him to gamble with his life, whether he wanted to or not.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

The time for the closure of the Hundred Boats Secret Realm was approaching.

Xu Lian’s eyelids twitched nervously. He had no idea what was about to happen.

During these ten days, he had made all the necessary arrangements. He had done his best to reform the court, returning the throne to the young emperor and selecting a few honest officials to assist him.

How did he distinguish between the honest officials?

It was simple. The previous court had been controlled by eunuchs, imperial relatives, and corrupt officials. Those who had been ostracized by these villains were, of course, the good ones.

The entire world was now shrouded in dense fog, a sign that the Hundred Boats Secret Realm was about to close, as recorded in the notes of previous explorers.

The geniuses clung to their glowing treasures, the fruits of a year’s labor. Almost everyone had multiple items.

Xu Lian’s group had the most. He personally had over a hundred items, piled up like a small mountain. Ye Beining was next with about thirty items, followed by Shui Yingyue and Xiang Chengxing with fifteen or sixteen items each.

The other teams couldn’t help but feel jealous, but no one dared to steal. Xu Lian, who glowed like a divine being, was far too powerful. In their weakened state, none of them could hope to defeat him. They were just grateful that he didn’t try to take their treasures.

However, Xu Lian had no interest in the glowing treasures. His only concern was whether or not he would face divine punishment.