Ling Xiao’s words left Kong He trembling with fear. His entire body felt as if it had been drenched in icy spring water, his heart chilled to the core.
“Sha Tongtian, what is your choice?”
Ling Xiao asked calmly.
Though the question sounded casual, it carried an absolute, unquestionable authority.
Sha Tongtian looked towards Jiao Batian, still unable to decide.
“You needn’t look at him. He is nothing more than my puppet now.”
Jiao Batian had outlived his usefulness, so Ling Xiao simply stated the truth outright.
At these words, everyone felt a shiver run down their spines.
Ling Xiao had actually controlled the Sea Emperor!
He had controlled the emperor of the True Demon Empire!
No wonder the Sea Emperor had suddenly invited everyone to a banquet today. This had all been Ling Xiao’s scheme.
Withdrawing his soul power, Jiao Batian instantly collapsed to the ground. In moments, the corpse disintegrated completely.
This scene utterly crushed Sha Tongtian’s spirit. He sighed in despair and said, “Chosen Son of Heaven, this time our sea clan has lost. I am willing to lead the sea clan back to the Storm Ocean.”
“Very good. A wise choice.”
Ling Xiao smiled faintly. “However, that is not enough. Everyone here must cripple your own cultivation. Otherwise, you know the consequences.”
Although Ling Xiao did not wish to massacre, he would not simply let Sha Tongtian and the others walk away. If he released these people and they caused trouble later, what then?
The most direct solution was to cripple their cultivation. Without these experts, the sea clan would pose no real threat.
Of course, the future was uncertain, but that was a problem for another day. For now, at least, Ling Xiao could drive them back to the Storm Ocean, build defences, and rebuild the Holy Dynasty.
Naturally, the name of the nation would change. Everything would be reorganised anew.
In his fresh memories lay a complete and effective political system he could use as a model. He believed it would work splendidly.
As for the name of the new country, he planned to call it simply the Heavenly Dynasty.
Once he had gathered all nine Primordial Dragons, those nine ancient divine dragons would become the guardian divine beasts of the Heavenly Dynasty, and he could enter the Chosen Gate with peace of mind.
But those were matters for the future. Right now, the sea clan problem still needed resolving.
The sea clan could not be exterminated completely. Even if he killed Sha Tongtian and the others here, more sea clansmen would rise against him.
It was better to offer courtesy before force.
The once-mighty First Demon General had probably never even known who Ling Xiao was, never once taken him seriously.
Yet today his very life rested in Ling Xiao’s hands. The irony was palpable.
Sha Tongtian glanced at Ling Xiao and asked, “And if we refuse to cripple our cultivation?”
“That is allowed. Only then I won’t be so kind as to do it for you, because it’s troublesome. So I may simply choose a massacre instead! I’ll give you a quarter of an hour. If even one person here still has their cultivation intact, I will take matters into my own hands.”
Ling Xiao’s voice remained indifferent, as if he were discussing the most ordinary thing in the world.
He now possessed the power and authority to be this domineering.
“Time starts now!”
Ling Xiao said lightly.
“No need to think further. I will obey.”
Sha Tongtian suddenly spoke.
“You are sensible, and clever.”
Ling Xiao smiled.
Sha Tongtian gave a bitter laugh.
Clever?
He was merely helpless.
He had witnessed Ling Xiao’s arrogant and overbearing methods, so he absolutely believed Ling Xiao would slaughter every sea clansman present without hesitation.
As a member of the sea clan, Sha Tongtian might disregard human lives, but he valued the lives of his own people deeply.
Thus, he truly had only one choice: cripple his own cultivation.
“Everyone, begin. If anyone cannot bring themselves to do it, I will help them personally.”
Sha Tongtian knew that not every sea clan warrior present shared his resolve, so he had to ensure every single one crippled their cultivation.
If even one person failed to comply, everything he had done would be for nothing.
“I’ll go first!”
Bai Qianjiao took a deep breath, suddenly raised her hand, and struck towards her heavenly meridian.
“You are excused.”
Before Bai Qianjiao could land the blow, Ling Xiao gently waved his hand and stopped her.
“Why?”
“Because I think you are a decent woman. It is a pity we stand on opposing sides right now. I want you to understand that if the sea clan wishes to live on the Heavenly Dragon Continent, I have no objection, but not through conquest.”
Ling Xiao had always held a very favourable impression of Bai Qianjiao. He could not bear to see her cultivation destroyed.
“What about my junior sister?”
Bai Qianjiao asked.
“She is different. You saw what happened earlier. I utterly despise women like your junior sister. She must cripple her cultivation.”
Ling Xiao said calmly.
“Ling Xiao, I am from Divine Phoenix Academy. You dare make me cripple my cultivation?”
Terror filled Hong Li’s heart.
She had trained for so many years and finally reached her current level. Was she really to waste it all and start over?
That would be far too cruel.
“Don’t mention Divine Phoenix Academy to me, or I’ll kill you right now!”
Ling Xiao said coldly.
“I cannot watch my junior sister lose her cultivation while I remain unharmed. Thank you for your kindness.”
Bai Qianjiao sighed. A trace of warmth had indeed stirred in her heart, but if Hong Li suffered while she walked away unscathed, she would face no good end once they returned to the sea clan.
So she had no choice but to cripple her own cultivation.
“Do as you wish.”
Ling Xiao felt a twinge of regret, but he could not yield.
In the end, Bai Qianjiao’s delicate hand struck her heavenly meridian. Crimson blood flowed from her mouth, and her primal force instantly scattered completely. At that moment, she was truly weaker than an ordinary person.
Feeling a pang of reluctance, Ling Xiao stepped forward to support her. While no one was watching, he slipped a pill into her mouth and said, “Why make things so hard for yourself?”
The pill would protect her heavenly meridian.
It would allow Bai Qianjiao’s crippled cultivation to recover eventually. This was just a small act of wilfulness on Ling Xiao’s part.
Bai Qianjiao looked up at him. Finally, others gritted their teeth and began to follow suit.
Yet those truly willing to cripple their own cultivation were few. Most had theirs destroyed by Sha Tongtian himself.
“Chosen Son of Heaven, I hope you will keep your word.”
With those words, Sha Tongtian crippled his own cultivation.
Among everyone present, his cultivation had been the highest. Losing it was the greatest blow. This fellow could be considered a true man of the sea clan.
It was a pity they currently stood as enemies. Ling Xiao could not afford softness.
“Rest assured. Your sea clan may leave now. Do not cause trouble. You know the consequences.”
Ling Xiao said lightly.
Though his tone was indifferent, it was unmistakably a threat.
