Report, His Highness the Fairy Emperor has persuaded the majority of the accomplices of the rebels like the Undead Dragon to surrender, only a small part of stubborn and foolish individuals were executed on the spot."

"Well done! Spread this command! From now on, all the affairs of our dynasty will be handled by the Fairy Emperor. This emperor can now focus on cultivation in seclusion. Oh! You may leave now. Remember to tell him not to bring any more court or military matters to me, let the Fairy Emperor handle it himself."

The ancestral gods secretly rejoiced in their hearts. With that foolish fairy king declaring himself an emperor, he was helping to deal with troublesome matters. Whether the court was peaceful or not, at least he had finally gained some peace for himself.

"Yes!"

After dismissing the attendants, the ancestral gods heaved a sigh of relief and then waved their hand, causing the documents on the table to scatter all over the floor.

In the desolate and lonely palace chamber, two shadows flickered into the inner sanctum.

The elderly man in purple robes who had sensed subtle changes suddenly opened his eyes and smiled slightly.

"Two little bugs have invaded the palace. It seems the flow of the guards can really be unreliable."

Snap! With a light flick of his finger, the lights in the chamber lit up instantly, revealing Wei Zhongxian, dressed in a blood-red official uniform, leaning back in his Grand Councilor chair.

Adjusting the ghostly mask perched on his head, the effeminate voice of the deity chimed in.

"Who do we have here? General Jie triumphant returned, I see."

"Immortal King... Honorable Fairy Emperor, we went to pursue and kill the Holy Son, but!"

One of the male flow guards was about to explain.

"But what? Guards, take them away! Since you, as the generals of a defeated army, must understand the consequences very well, don't you?"

The Immortal Emperor was irritated by their excuses, and with a casual wave of his hand, he signaled for the two to be dragged out and executed on the spot! The Immortal Deity was known for his cunning and cruelty. He always dealt severely with subordinates who disobeyed orders. Just a few days ago, he had executed three trusted followers at home over trivial matters, not sparing even a single member of their families.

"Immortal Emperor, have mercy!"

The man from the flow guards hurriedly begged for mercy, but even so, the Immortal Emperor remained cold and unmoved, showing no intention of retracting his command.

Seeing the man grit his teeth, pushing aside the attendants trying to take him away, he pointed a finger at the Immortal Deity and cursed.

"Immortal! Just because you declared yourself an emperor, you ceased to be humane?"

"Are you trying to rebel against me?"

The Immortal Deity, seated on the Grand Councilor chair, barely gave them a second glance.

"You're right, you forced us! Xiao, I'll go capture that old devil, Immortal!"

The female flow guard named Yue-er drew her sword and struck down the attendant trying to take away the man. And in that instant when the sword was unsheathed, a cold air rose from the blade piercing directly towards the Immortal Emperor's heart.

Evil Ghost Disaster, nine feet of cold light craving worldly entities.

"The Tenth-ranked artifact, Ink Cold Light?"

The reputation of this top-thirteen artifact made the Immortal Emperor slightly restless, but he quickly regained his composure.

"To you who have not yet reached the Boundless Realm, this artifact is simply wasteful. Do you understand?"

"Whether it's wasteful or not, you can test it against me!"

The defiant look on the woman's face only added to the Immortal Deity's amusement.

"Good, let's have a match! If you can withstand three moves of the Ink Cold Light in the palm of my hand, I will guarantee the safety of both of you. But if not..."

"And if not?"

The once beautiful and charming face of Yue-er was now filled with veins standing out as she firmly held the Ink Cold Light sword, sweat making the handle slippery, yet she still held onto it, aiming its sharp edge towards the Immortal Emperor's heart.

"You will both die without a burial ground!"

After a roar, she raised the Ink Cold Light again, dripping a drop of blood down its blade.

"If heaven opposes me, I will oppose heaven!"

"The unique skill of Sharp Wind Pavilion, Blood Feast? To learn an elder-level skill at such a young age, you are indeed a talent chosen by the Flow Guards!"

Amidst his astonishment, the Immortal Emperor made a quick grab, and a faint green light flashed from his irises to various meridians on his collarbone - the intense gaze of a green serpent dragon!

The flow of time suddenly slowed down, and even the flickering of the candle flames became unusually clear.

Everything in the room was gray, and Yue-er's mind buzzed, unable to remember anything else, except for one name that she uttered in that moment!

"Did Shura Hall really exist on the continent?"

"Of course, do you doubt the words of the 97th generation head of the Shura Hall, one of the top five sects?"

The Lord of the Shura Hall!

"Just in my second year in office, our sect was massacred in a bloody alliance by the other six major sects. With over thirty thousand disciples, only less than ten survived. It is time for me to demand justice from them for this blood debt."

With a piercing gaze, the Immortal Emperor emitted a menacing aura.

On the desolate mainland, a rumor had been spreading widely among the people - a child born with the imprint of a golden dragon and a burning phoenix would unite the four major powers, becoming the leader of the alliance. In light of this, the major sects had dispatched their formidable experts across the tumultuous continent in search of the whereabouts of the golden dragon and phoenix.

Slowly, news spread and reached the ears of the ancestral gods.

Sitting on the dragon throne in the palace was a youngster who looked no older than twenty but was already clad in dragon robes, reviewing petitions. Standing behind the youth, with a somewhat purplish complexion, was an emaciated and eerie figure - the fourth son of the Eastern Royal Family known as Illusion Extinction, the Immortal King. At this moment, he was waiting for the judgment of the ancestral gods.

"Brother Ling!"

"Here I am."

The Immortal King immediately approached the dragon throne and knelt respectfully.

"I have heard these days that there is a prophecy circulating among the common folk about the arrival of a holy child with the imprint of a golden dragon and a burning phoenix on our desolate mainland. The people are agitated, fearing the realization of the prophesied calamity. Why did the Immortal King not inform me of this matter?"

"Um, I only learned of it today and am not sure of the details. I dare not speak without certainty."

Seeing the Immortal King kneeling on the carpet and hesitating to rise, the ancestral gods quickly rose to assist him.

"Oh, please rise quickly! In these turbulent times, one cannot predict the hearts of men. The late Emperor had entrusted the security of the nation to the Tiger Undying Dragon, and if not for the Immortal King's timely unveiling of their schemes, I would have perished long ago."

"No, assisting the ancestral gods is my greatest honor in this life. Dealing with these bandits is just a minor duty."

The ancestral gods nodded approvingly and declared, "Excellent! The Immortal King sharing the worries of the ancestral gods is also sharing the worries of the people of the Ten Thousand Continents. Indeed, the title of king is a bit unworthy of you. Today, in the presence of everyone, I confer upon you the title of emperor, equal in status to me. How does the Immortal King feel about this arrangement?"

"To be nominated by the ancestral gods is my greatest honor in life. I will not disappoint the expectations placed upon me."

After saying this, the Immortal King knelt down again, and the ancestral gods ordered for the Emperor's royal seal to be brought forth and presented to the Immortal King.

"I now temporarily bestow upon you my Emperor's royal seal. Today, I appoint you as the first Emperor of the Star Imperial Dynasty, with full authority to command the Flow Guards of the court!"

The Emperor's royal seal was a symbol of power, and since the ancestral gods entrusted such a precious item to the Immortal King, it was clear that it was either a sign of respect or a cue for him to begin his prolonged cultivation in seclusion.

"Thank you for your grace, I will exert all efforts to serve the nation and people of the Star Imperial Dynasty tirelessly!"

In his heart, the sly Immortal King had everything planned out. This move by the ancestral gods was nothing but a test, and the Immortal King fully understood who was pulling the strings above the court. Both he and Flow Guard Fei were nothing but loyal dogs used by the court to monitor themselves.

This was an attempt to keep an eye on him, he thought. So be it! In any case, he managed to pass through smoothly without raising any suspicions.

"I have been feeling somewhat unwell lately and had to attend the morning assembly reluctantly today while still indisposed. I hope the ancestral gods understand."

Finally, using the excuse of overexertion, the Immortal King took his leave, and the ancestral gods not only granted his request but also expressed concern for his well-being.

"Well then, if you feel unwell, you should seek the advice of a mystic physician for recovery. Take good care of yourself and avoid harming your health!"

"Yes, then I shall take my leave."

Afterward, the Immortal King exited the imperial palace and promptly ordered his men to search the central region for the whereabouts of the Holy Son.

"Remember, closely observe every individual, and anyone with the imprint of a dragon or a phoenix, regardless of age or gender, must not escape our grasp!"

The messenger with the silver chrysanthemum pattern on his tight-fitting attire, a symbol of the Flow Guards, simply vanished into thin air right after delivering a concise message.

As the saying goes, the higher the dao, the greater the devil. The ancestral gods had their plans to deal with him, and he too had his countermeasures to endure against them.

"Heh, the childish ancestral gods may be skilled as perfect masters, but they lack maturity. To think they wish to surveil me? Have they forgotten whose men are above the court? And who would listen to them!"

Although he had dispatched the Immortal Fei's senior disciple, Qiu Zhe Shui, this had only played into his hands. The Immortal King uttered a cold snort, ordering his men to saddle their horses and make their way back home.

Upon returning to his mansion, one of his trusted attendants dressed in a green robe hastily greeted him, failing to change into his usual attire and immediately began fawning and flattering.

"Hehe, Lord Ling... oh, sorry, should I call you Immortal Emperor now, right?"

"What did you call me just now?"

"Um... My Lord?"

The man noticed a slight change in the Immortal King's expression and quickly became nervous.

"Which one before that?"

He raised the corners of his mouth, proud yet impatient as he reminded the attendant.

"Immortal Emperor!"

The attendant repeated reluctantly.

"Immortal Emperor... Emperor!"

The Emperor placed a hand behind his back, lost in his thoughts, then lifted his head to the sky, bursting into a maniacal laughter.

"Hahaha, well done, young man! I now promote you to the captain of my personal attendants!"

As the dust settled, the cool autumn wind swept away the fallen leaves, and it seemed that the autumn of the Star Emperor's present day was destined to be eventful.

Whistling cold winds swept through the forest, Juxi carefully crept along the crevices of the cliff, deftly scaling the most obscure corner where Old Master Ling resided.

The sun was setting, casting Old Master Ling's figure against the mountainous horizon, overlooking the cliffs.

"Have you come? Half a lifetime spent cultivating connections only to exchange for half a lifetime of sighs. If heaven has affection, the world shall be astonished, blooming into day and night only to be dust."

"Grandfather, Xia doesn't quite understand what you mean."

Old Master Ling slowly sat upright from the stone slab, gazing towards the distant marketplace.

"It's better not to know everything in advance, for when you grow up, you will understand. However, it's of no use to you at this moment."