Chapter 14548 Kangmeng
The temporary palace of the Overlord Empire is located in Lin Yuan City.
The palace was forged from ancient ice and covered with gilded tiles. The soul-suppressing bells hanging from the eaves tinkled softly in the wind, suppressing the turbulent spiritual energy of heaven and earth around it, displaying the majesty of an emperor.
Inside the main hall, the top leaders of the entire Silent Realm were gathered, their auras intertwining and colliding, making the air seem to solidify.
Looking across the Overlord Empire, the only top-tier combatants at the Annihilation Emperor Realm level are Dao Sha and Jian Sha... Such a level is extremely rare in the Annihilation Realm, enough to dominate a region.
There are a few more peak-level experts in the Star River Realm:
Yun Mo, the patriarch of the Divine Light Clan, wore a golden robe, and his hair shimmered with a faint glow.
The Gu clan chief was dressed in a black robe, his face hidden in the shadows, and his body was surrounded by the faint buzzing of poisonous insects.
Another elderly man from the Realm Lord's Mansion, dressed in a faded old robe, had a deeply lined face and appeared very old. However, between the opening and closing of his eyes, a flash of spiritual light like stardust would occasionally appear, clearly indicating that he was a peerless powerhouse who had returned to simplicity...
This person was a reclusive master personally invited by the Lord of the Silent Realm, and is known as the number one combatant in the Lord's mansion.
As for high-level Star River Realm experts, they are as numerous as carp crossing a river. The Overlord Empire and the Realm Lord's Mansion together have more than 10,000 people, nearly half of whom belong to the Realm Lord's Mansion, which has been dormant for thousands of years.
The power and resources revealed by the Lord of the Realm's Mansion this time secretly alarmed all the forces present.
No one could have predicted that the Realm Lord's Mansion, which had always kept a low profile for thousands of years, had secretly accumulated such terrifying power... In the past, the Realm Lord's Mansion was in decline, and its territory and spiritual veins were divided up by various forces. If it had exposed its strength too early, it would have been attacked by all sides. This kind of forbearance was truly out of necessity.
In addition to the Overlord Empire and the Realm Lord's Mansion, the "Hall of Annihilation" lineage has now been added.
Even after the Holy Temple surrendered, it still had three powerful figures at the Nirvana Emperor Realm, namely the three elders led by Lu Fan, and countless other powerful figures at the Star River Realm and Spirit Sea Realm.
In terms of sheer numbers of top-tier combatants, the Holy Temple lineage is undoubtedly the best in the world right now.
But now, the Temple of Annihilation no longer exists, and all those who have submitted have taken the Soul-Devouring Pill, becoming puppets whose lives and deaths are controlled by Ling Xiao.
The atmosphere inside the hall was extremely solemn; you could hear a pin drop.
Ling Xiao sat upright on the dragon throne in the main seat. To his left and below was the Lord of the Silent Realm. The other leaders of the forces were arranged in order of their strength, each with their own thoughts.
External threats have been temporarily quelled, but internal disputes have arisen.
The格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall structure or power structure) of the Silent Realm urgently needs to be redefined. Will the various forces form an alliance or submit to Lingxiao as their master?
The Holy Temple lineage naturally had no other choice. The insidious power of the Soul-Devouring Pill was like a sword hanging overhead; anyone who dared to disobey would suffer the destruction of both their soul and body.
But how could the other powers be willing to submit so easily? Once they submit, their thousand-year-old foundation will change hands and they will become vassals. Who would be willing to do that?
"Let's skip the unnecessary formalities," Ling Xiao suddenly spoke, his voice carrying spiritual energy that resonated throughout the hall, breaking the deathly silence. "I propose we form an alliance, named the 'Kang Alliance,' meaning 'peace and prosperity for the world,' a defensive and offensive alliance. The factions within the alliance will still govern their own territories and will not be my subjects. However, in the event of foreign invasion, we shall unite as one to resist the powerful enemy. What do you all think?"
alliance!
The crowd exchanged glances, their expressions varied, but no one dared to take the lead. While an alliance could indeed counter the threat of the Extinction Celestial Venerable, the division of power and the details of the alliance within the "Kang Alliance" were still unclear, and no one was willing to agree rashly.
The Lord of the Silent Realm chuckled, breaking the deadlock: "Emperor Tyrant might as well speak plainly, otherwise you all will have concerns and it will be difficult to make a decision."
Ling Xiao nodded, his tone frank: "In short, you are still the lords of your respective territories, governing your original territories and forces, and are not my subjects. However, the Kang Alliance will establish 'eight deputies,' jointly elected by the top forces of each side. All major matters within the alliance must be decided jointly by the eight deputies, and even the position of alliance leader can be abolished by all eight of them. Furthermore, all agreements within the alliance are based on voluntariness, and if anyone wishes to withdraw in the future, we will not stop them, nor will we hold them accountable later."
He abruptly changed the subject, his tone turning cold and carrying an undeniable air of intimidation: "But there is one condition... If you retreat without authorization when faced with an invasion by foreign enemies, or collude with them, don't blame the entire Kang Alliance for uniting to punish you!"
Yun Mo, the patriarch of the Divine Light Clan, rubbed the jade talisman in his sleeve with his fingertips. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of approval: "This proposal... is indeed fair."
The threat posed by the Celestial Venerable of Annihilation hangs like a sword of Damocles over their heads. Without the mysterious power behind Ling Xiao to counterbalance it, no one in the Realm of Annihilation would be able to stop the Venerable's return. They need this alliance more than Ling Xiao does; only by banding together can they protect themselves.
Ling Xiao abruptly stood up, his black robes billowing like flowing clouds with his movements, the faint spiritual aura surrounding him causing the atmosphere in the hall to suddenly become heavy: "Since there are no objections, this matter shall be settled as such. The daily affairs of the Kang Alliance shall be handled by Empress Mingkong on his behalf." He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, "I have other important matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."
Having said that, without waiting for anyone's response, he turned around and stepped into the air, his figure instantly disappearing outside the palace gate, leaving only a faint trace of his imposing aura.
Qin Yingxue, the Lord of the Silent Realm, had a slight glint in her eyes. Her fingertips quietly caressed the jade talisman in her sleeve. Then she slowly followed, her skirt sweeping across the ground silently.
Inside the main hall, the oppressive atmosphere suddenly relaxed, and the leaders of various forces began to discuss in hushed tones, their expressions varying—some in agreement, some in doubt, and others speculating about the future landscape.
……
Behind the mountain, the Cloud Terrace was shrouded in mist, its spiritual energy so rich it almost materialized into flowing springs. Ling Xiao and Qin Yingxue stood side by side, with a sheer cliff beneath their feet and distant mountains, like dark eyebrows, hidden among the sea of clouds.
"I know what you're thinking." Ling Xiao suddenly spoke, his voice carried by the mountain breeze, yet it possessed an undeniable penetrating power.
Qin Yingxue glanced at him sideways, her phoenix eyes sparkling with a hint of inquiry: "Oh? Emperor Batian, tell me, what am I thinking?"
Ling Xiao gazed at the distant mountains and sea of clouds, his eyes as deep as a cold pool: "Your ambition has never been limited to the position of Realm Lord."
Qin Yingxue smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying: "Having ambition in this world is not necessarily a bad thing."
“Indeed.” Ling Xiao nodded, his tone calm yet carrying an inexplicable pressure. “I have no desire for power, but I am obsessed with unifying the Silent Realm… This world will eventually become the territory of the Overlord Empire.”
He turned to look at Qin Yingxue, his gaze sharp as a sword, "You'd better put away those thoughts. The Realm Lord's Mansion can be preserved, but it's absolutely impossible for it to command the world as it used to."
Qin Yingxue's eyes suddenly narrowed, a hint of surprise flashing in her phoenix eyes, which then turned into a complicated expression. Her lips moved, but she ultimately did not speak.
Silence spread across the cloud platform, with only the mountain wind howling. After a long while, Qin Yingxue suddenly whispered, "My name is Qin Yingxue."
Ling Xiao was slightly taken aback, then chuckled, a hint of warmth appearing in his eyes: "A good name, like a plum blossom reflecting snow, elegant and resilient."
He strode forward, his toes touching the bluestone rim of the platform, mist swirling around his feet. Qin Yingxue silently followed, her skirt rustling softly in the mountain breeze. (End of Chapter)
