NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 378: Turning a Deer into a Horse
Chapter 378: Turning a Deer into a Horse
Jun Yunshang stood firm, neither humble nor arrogant. “According to the rules, the Sovereign cannot interfere in the affairs of non-vassal states. Is the Sovereign going to break this precedent?”
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme was surprised that she dared to contradict him. His voice turned cold. “Are you questioning me?”
His voice carried a hint of anger, and an overwhelming pressure descended as if he might wipe her out in the next moment.
Jun Yunshang’s expression changed slightly, but she still stubbornly replied, “The Sovereigns have agreed that they cannot interfere in the internal affairs of non-vassal states. My Junyan Empire is not a vassal state of the Heavenly Fiend Hall. The Sovereign has no right to interfere in our internal affairs. I respectfully decline!”
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme scoffed. “What a joke. You have come to power through improper means. The legitimate emperor of your Junyan Empire has asked me to restore order.”
“I am now dealing with a traitor on behalf of a vassal state of the Heavenly Fiend Hall. What’s wrong with that?”
Jun Yunshang’s gaze carried a hint of mockery as she looked at Jun Chengye and Jun Fengya kneeling below, letting out a self-deprecating laugh.
“So someone thinks the throne is not rightfully mine and is eager to sell the land for personal gain, becoming a dog for the Sovereign!”
Her beautiful eyes filled with anger as she slowly scanned the kneeling crowd below. “If you don’t accept me as your emperor, why are you kneeling down there?”
Although her cultivation was not high, she exuded an aura of dominance, as if she could look down upon the world and defy the heavens.
Jun Chengye was intimidated by her presence, feeling as if he was seeing Emperor Jun Lingtian, and the fear overwhelmed him, making him unable to move.
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme saw that no one stood up, frowned, and shouted, “Who is Jun Chengye?
Fear was replaced by even greater fear. Jun Chengye trembled, but he forced himself to stand up and bow.
“Reporting to the Sovereign, I am Jun Chengye.”
Although he tried his best to maintain his composure, the sweat on his forehead and the trembling in his hands and feet revealed his inner fear.
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme inwardly cursed him for being a coward, but this was also beneficial as it would be easier to control him later.
“This person claims to be the rightful Emperor of Junyan, who was usurped. Now, he is willing to submit to the Heavenly Fiend Hall and asks me to restore order.”
Jun Yunshang couldn’t help but laugh. “If he says so, then is it true? What evidence does he have? And on what basis does he represent my Junyan Empire in submitting to the Heavenly Fiend Hall?”
“This man is full of lies. I beg the Sovereign not to be deceived by the villain and not to interfere in the internal affairs of my Junyan Empire.”
The Heavenly Fiend’s Sovereign’s gaze lowered slightly, his voice cold. “Are you saying that I am lying?”
He casually pointed at an official below and said, “Tell me, who did Emperor Jun Lingtian designate as the rightful emperor before his death?”
The man was drenched in sweat and trembling as he replied, “Reporting to the Sovereign, it was Yun…”
“Huh?”
The eyes of the Heavenly Fiend Supreme flashed with killing intent, and the man was instantly torn apart, dying on the spot.
Jun Yunshang’s face turned cold as she said sharply, “The Sovereign killed someone from my Junyan Empire without cause. Does he think that my Junyan Empire is easy to bully?”
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme smiled indifferently. “This person did not look up at me when answering my question, showing no respect for his superiors. I just killed someone who disrespected me.”
He pointed again casually and said, “You, speak!”
Having seen the consequences of the previous official, the man, despite his fear, looked at the Sovereign and said, “I… I don’t know!”
But he still met his end, exploding into a bloody mist at the hands of the Heavenly Fiend Supreme.
Jun Yunshang was both angry and furious as she glared at the Sovereign. “What is the meaning of this, Sovereign?”
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme coldly said, “This person dared to look directly at me and show me disrespect. He deserves to die!”
Jun Yunshang looked at him coldly and sneered, “I am also looking directly at the Sovereign. Why doesn’t the Sovereign kill me as well?”
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme’s gaze turned cold, and his killing intent surged as he stared at her.
At this moment, Jun Yunshang’s heart was as cold as death, and she had a self-destructive inclination. How could she be afraid?
She looked at him without fear, radiating an air of defiance that was completely different from the others.
When one is not afraid of death, how can one be threatened by it?
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme sensed her determination to die together, and he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Well done, Empress Fengyao. You have some courage! You are barely worthy to look up and speak to me.”
Indeed, he did not dare to kill Jun Yunshang. After all, killing an emperor of a dynasty would invite the backlash of the Imperial Dragon Aura.
Given Junyan’s current strength, such a backlash would only worsen his injuries and accelerate his descent into the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, bringing more harm than benefit.
He casually pointed at another official and said coldly, “You, tell me. Who did Emperor Jun Lingtian designate as his successor?”
With two victims already dead, the official repeatedly kowtowed, trembling as he said, “It’s Prince Chengye, it’s Prince Chengye!”
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme’s overwhelming pressure weighed down on everyone present, instilling a fear of death that made them dare not resist.
His finger slowly swept across the crowd, and wherever it pointed, voices echoed, “It’s Prince Chengye!”
“You see, what else do you have to say?” asked the Heavenly Fiend Supreme.
The so-called agreements were just verbal promises. They would only be effective if another higher being was present.
For a mere girl to try to use them to constrain him was truly laughable.
Jun Yunshang looked around, but no one dared to stand up and speak for her. Her eyes couldn’t help but show disappointment.
She proudly looked at the sky and coldly said, “If the Sovereign wants to take over my Junyan Empire, just say so. There’s no need to waste words.”
“I would rather die for my country and scatter Junyan’s dragon aura than recognize a false ruler!”
Her words were firm and determined. She stood tall and proud, completely different from the others.
Jun Fengya’s eyes flashed with confusion as she looked at Jun Yunshang with admiration.
She had once looked down on her younger sister, thinking that she was timid and lacked the demeanor of an emperor.
But now, seeing her stand firm and refuse to bow, she felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
Wasn’t this the image of herself that she had imagined?
Why was it that she, who had once dreamed of standing tall, now knelt here, trembling with fear?
She wanted to stand up, but the Sovereign’s pressure weighed heavily on her, the fear of death preventing her from moving.
Her hands scraped against the ground, leaving bloody marks, and her body trembled as she kept shouting in her heart.
Stand up, Jun Fengya!
Seeing this, Fan Qiongyin quickly transmitted her voice, “Fengya, don’t be foolish. Insulting the Sovereign could bring disaster to your entire clan.”
Jun Fengya froze, thinking of her mother and her clan, as well as the fear of death that weighed on her heart.
The spirit within her seemed to break all at once, and she weakly knelt on the ground, silently weeping.
So, she was such a cautious and cowardly person!
At that moment, a hoarse but determined voice rang out.
“Before his death, the Heavenly Emperor entrusted the Saint King to choose the emperor. Empress Fengyao is the rightful Holy Emperor of Junyan. I, Zhao Ban, can attest to this!”
Everyone looked in surprise and saw the grand eunuch Zhao Ban, who had been by the emperor’s side, stubbornly lifting his head and struggling to stand up.
The Heavenly Fiend Supreme’s eyes flashed with killing intent, and he shouted, “What did you say?”
A mere eunuch dared to defy him?
A tremendous pressure descended, and Zhao Ban’s blood spilled out uncontrollably, making him look quite terrifying.
But even so, he still mustered his cultivation and managed to stand up, staggering under the pressure.
Blood flowed from his seven orifices, but he spoke clearly, word by word: “I said Empress Fengyao is the rightful Holy Emperor of Junyan!”