Since the destruction of the Eternal Heaven God Realm, known as the most benevolent realm, and the Dragon God Realm, once the overlord of the Primal Chaos, over five months had passed in the blink of an eye.
Even before the appointed date, countless auras had taken off from the star realms of every Divine Region and headed toward a certain place in the Eastern Divine Region.
Finally, the day of Yun Wuji's grand coronation, the legendary ceremony that would decide the new overlord of the God Realm and the fates of countless future generations, began.
Shockwaves rippled across the entire God Realm. Nearly every living creature, ranging from the Upper-Star Realms to the Lower-Star Realms, could sense the change in the air.
In the past, a grand coronation ceremony only happened when a new king realm God Emperor was going to succeed its predecessor. It was a rare occurrence that was celebrated throughout the God Realm because a God Emperor was the equivalent of the heavens in the current world.
This particular grand coronation ceremony was very different from all the coronations that had happened in the history of the God Realm. It was because the soon-to-be emperor was going to be coronated, not the emperor of a mere king realm, but the entire world.
It was something this universe had never witnessed, even during the era of the Creation Gods, and it might never appear again until the very end of time.
Unusually, the organizers of the grand coronation ceremony hadn't sent an invitation letter to anyone, much less made a public announcement. The star realms had to learn of it through the ancient way of word-of-mouth.
That wasn't to say that the news didn't shake the world. Quite the contrary, the resulting pandemonium was unlike anything the God Realm had ever seen. The Upper-Star realm kings engraved the time and location of the ceremony on their brains and made preparations almost as soon as they learned about it. Nearly every man and woman in the star realms was mobilized to prepare for the ceremony as well.
This was the result of Mu Xuanyin, Luo Guxie, and the efforts of several other women in 'educating' the Upper Star Realms. The terror they instilled in each of the realm kings and their sects was something that would likely never be forgotten in their lifetime.
The grand coronation ceremony was given the utmost attention because it signified not just the birth of the first true emperor of the God Realm, but also the turning point of their very universe. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that their attitude toward this grand coronation ceremony directly impacted their new emperor's attitude toward them, and subsequently their fates under the new order.
No one cared about the Middle-Star Realms and Lower-Star Realms, though... After all, since when did the opinions of the weak truly matter?
From the moment the king realms declared their submission to Yun Wuji, the Upper-Star Realms' options had been reduced to just one.
Which was total submission.
As the fated day grew closer and closer, the restlessness of the people grew as well. More and more profound arks began flying toward the Eastern Divine Region at top speed.
On the path directly between the Star God Realm, the Moon God Realm, and the Brahma Monarch God Realm, a gigantic floating city stretching more than one hundred and fifty kilometers in length hovered silently in the void.
The city was the World Dragon City.
However, now it was called the Limitless Emperor City.
The city had originally been located where the Eternal Heaven God Realm once stood, but Yun Wuji had ordered over twenty Dragons of Absolute Beginning to drag the entire city to its current position.
The sight of a group of colossal dragons pulling a massive city as though it were a chariot was nothing short of magical.
At this time, outside the city, innumerable profound ships and even more profound practitioners were floating in the sky.
There were all types of auras and all kinds of attire. If there was one commonality between them all, it would be that they were all staring at the sky in awe, trepidation, and many more complex emotions.
The unparalleled city that would soon be elevated to the absolute pinnacle of the God Realm after today's ceremony!
Everyone who came to this place was either the realm king of a star realm or the ruler of a region. They were all powerful and noble in their own right. Right now, though, they could only look up at Limitless Emperor City like mortals would look up to their gods. Forget entering the city, they didn't even dare to get close to it.
Only the King Realms were the only ones who were granted entry. Everyone else could only look from below.
Meanwhile, a cold and solemn atmosphere was permeating the air above Limitless Emperor City.
To the south stood Cang Shitian, Cang Shuhe, and the gathered members of the Ten Directions Deep Sea Realm.
To the west stood the core forces of the Qilin Realm under Qi Tianli, the Blue Dragon Realm under Qing Que, and the Dragon God Realm, with only the Purple River Dragon God.
To the east stood the Brahma Monarch Realm under Qianye Ying, the Moon God Realm under Xia Qingyue, and the Star God Realm under Jasmine.
Beside them were Mu Xuanyin, Mu Bingyun, and Luo Guxie.
They may not be members of a King Realm, but they may be as well higher than them.
Finally, there was the Northern Divine Region. The profound practitioners of the Yama Devil Realm, the Burning Moon Realm, and the Soul Stealing Realm stood silently, each of them trembling with excitement.
Among everyone present, no one was as filled with emotion as they were. At last, they could look down on the people of the three Divine Regions without restraint, basking in the sunlight that had been denied them for a million years.
This was all thanks to one man, the man who brought them victory and changed their lives in what was a laughably short amount of time.
Time and again, they couldn't help but look in the direction of the palace with indescribable excitement and feverish emotions. Nearly Half a year had passed since the final battle, and still, they felt like they were in a dream.
Before the palace gates stood two hundred Dragons of Absolute Beginning, arranged in neat lines. Each of them respectfully lowered their head, waiting for their lord to appear.
"What do you think the Emperor looks like? I heard they say his genius is frightening. He is only twenty-three, yet he already has the strength to kill the Dragon Monarch with a single slap." The people below the city glanced toward the palace, and one of them whispered.
"I think the rumors about him having six arms and three heads are ridiculous. I heard he cultivates Light Profound Energy, so it's safe to say he must be a handsome man, with both inner and outer beauty like Lady Shen Xi," his companion whispered beside him.
"That may not be the case. After all, I heard he also cultivates Darkness Profound Energy. Who knows what monstrosity he might be?" a man at the back suddenly spoke in a low voice, his face lowered to hide his hatred and resentment.
He was probably one of those who had suffered under Yun Wuji's women's 'education'.
Smack!
"Shut up! Bastard! Do you want to get us killed?!" His senior slapped him so hard that his jaw was dislocated, and hissed in fury. He looked around frantically. "Fool! The Emperor is a being whose talent surpasses the heavens themselves. He not only cultivates Darkness and Light but all the elements in the universe!"
Only those who had experienced the brutal lessons of Luo Guxie, Mu Xuanyin, and the others understood the cost of speaking ill of Yun Wuji. They had heard how a sect master and all his disciples were torn to tiny shreds by massive tornadoes, simply for daring to insult him.
The palace's gate slowly opened. It wasn't a loud noise, but it caused everyone to shut their mouths and stifle their breath instantly.
A person slowly stepped out from behind the gate and onto the red carpet that had been laid out for him. From a certain point of view, it would look like he was stepping on everyone's heads as well.
He wore a golden crown inlaid with seven different jewels, each representing a different element. His silver robe was decorated with exquisite golden patterns and fastened with a golden belt. His body was enveloped in a thin, faintly glowing white light.
Around his body, the seven elements—fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, light, and darkness—swirled like miniature tornadoes, a sight that made everyone's eyes tremble. He was stepping not only on their shivering souls but also on all common sense and the known laws of the entire cosmos.
BOOM!
BANG!!
There was an explosion of profound energy, and countless noble knees bent and hit either energy or the ground with a resounding thump.
"We welcome His Majesty!"
The God Emperors of all realms dropped to their knees and chanted his title. It was an unprecedented sight that could never be properly described by any words.
Even Chi Wuyao, Jasmine, Xia Qingyue, Qianye Ying'er, and the other women had all fallen to their knees. They might not have needed to do so, but none of them wanted to diminish his prestige and power.
A heavy pressure that surpassed their body or soul's ability to withstand pressed down on them.
Feeling as if a million mountains were pressing down on them, all the realm kings and profound practitioners bowed their heads to their future emperor. They wouldn't even think to lift them until a very long time later.
Yun Wuji slowly walked past the knees of the God Emperors before finally stopping at the edge of the floating city. From there, he looked down on the myriad realms coolly before declaring,
"Announce it, Qi Tianli."
It was short, but his divine will was unquestionable.
Yun Wuji's cultivation was only at the 12th level of the Divine Spirit Realm, but because of his special cultivation, people could hardly detect his true strength unless he allowed them to. The fact that those present could not even sense the level of his cultivation only deepened the terror he inspired.
Many even began to speculate that perhaps his power had already surpassed the limits of this era and reached the True God Realm, which was why, in their feeble existence, they could not perceive him.
Of course, even if they could sense that his cultivation was at the Divine Spirit Realm, none of them would have the slightest courage to defy or harm him. They would first have to contend with the King Realms, the Dragons of Absolute Beginning, and his women before even having the chance to breathe the same air as him, let alone touch the corner of his sleeve.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Qilin Emperor, after responding to Yun Wuji's command, slowly rose to his feet, raised his arms, and caused a passage to appear in the sky. The words were light silver in color, but they shone brightly and emanated a soul-shaking presence.
Qi Tianli declared in an old, deep, awe-inspiring voice that reverberated for thousands of kilometers. "Yun Wuji, aged twenty-three, was born in a lower realm, yet with a frightening genius. In his infinite kindness, he is a blessing to our pitiful world, destined to restore it to its former glory. His nobility surpasses all living beings, his power exceeds both heaven and earth, and his throne rises higher than the heavenly way…"
Qi Tianli was currently the strongest God Emperor of the Western Divine Region, and his voice penetrated countless star realms and nearly covered the entire Eastern Divine Region itself. His speech was also projected throughout the four Divine Regions by countless projections.
He was a man of great status and power, and yet he didn't hesitate to act as Yun Wuji's herald with the highest reverence.
Projections of the grand coronation ceremony had been arranged across all four Divine Regions. Hence, there was almost no place where one couldn't witness it.
The image alone was enough to stun countless profound practitioners into utter speechlessness.
Combined with the Qilin Emperor's voice and eternal-sounding edict, it felt like an irremovable spike had been driven into everyone's heart.
"... Today, we don't answer to the sky, the earth, or the will of the heavens. Today, His Magnificence, via his own will, shall anoint himself 'Great Limitless Emperor Yun', the emperor of all realms, and the era name will be changed to 'Wuji' (Limitless)."
"Today marks the beginning of the 'Wuji' Period. Today is the day all the realms and the living of the Primal Chaos become the servants of our Great Emperor."
"The Great Emperor is the rightful ruler of this world, and even the Way of Heaven shall follow his will. He shall continue to safeguard it for all eternity. Obey, and the Great Emperor's protection will forever be yours. Defy, and not a trace of you will remain, not even if the challenger is heaven and earth themselves!"
The declaration was staggering to say the least.
Since the founding of the God Realm, it was customary for a ruler to pray to the heavens, the earth, and the heavenly way not only to appease the people but also to obtain the blessing of the world. This was the righteous way, be it for the lowest king of the mortal realms or the highest god emperor of the king realms.
However, Yun Wuji hadn't prayed to the heavens and the earth to obtain their blessing, nor had he tried to win the people's hearts. In fact, he placed himself above everything and basically declared that they either obeyed him or would be destroyed.
This grand coronation ceremony was also unlike any grand coronation ceremony that had ever happened in history. There was no ceremony, no ritual, not even a crowning.
It was against every known rule and etiquette that had been passed down for generations. All that was left was a most extreme, direct, and domineering declaration!
He was declaring that he was the greatest emperor in the history of the God Realm because of who he was, not because fate had blessed him or some supposedly deceased goddess had granted him her special physique.
That was why he didn't need the heavens and the earth to bear witness to his coronation; he didn't need to appease his subjects; he didn't need to obey any rule or etiquette whatsoever!
When the declaration was finally complete, Qi Tianli dropped to his knees, and a chorus of shouts erupted above the Limitless Emperor City:
"All hail the Limitless Emperor!"
"The Limitless Emperor has purged the world of evil and hypocrisy, vanquished its wickedness, and restored peace to the Primal Chaos. His achievements are unparalleled, his power unmatched, and his rule shall endure forever!"
The evil and hypocrisy were directed at the Eternal Heaven God Realm, the Dragon God Realm, and their allies. These realms had spent hundreds of thousands of years cultivating a reputation for benevolence and justice, yet the moment they were destroyed, they became symbols of evil, hypocrisy, selfishness, and wickedness.
So powerful were their cries that ripples appeared across all the projections of the God Realm.
"All hail the Limitless Emperor!"
No one could disobey the heavenly pressure. All the higher realm kings and the profound practitioners of the four Divine Regions kowtowed to Yun Wuji.
A long, long time later, when it was deemed appropriate to raise their heads once more, they discovered that the man somehow felt even more untouchable than before.
He was just a twenty-three-year-old man who had appeared out of nowhere only half a year ago and spread his boundless might everywhere. If it were not happening right before their eyes, no one would believe it. While his peers had only just begun their journey, he had already reached the pinnacle of what could be achieved in this universe and had even surpassed it.
Yun Wuji hadn't spoken a word since, "Announce it, Tianli."
Qi Tianli rose to his feet again and started announcing, "... Chi Wuyao shall be crowned the Great Empress. She is bestowed the power to command all four Divine Regions, utilize their resources, and control the lives of any being as she sees fit! Those who defy the Empress shall be dealt with as if they had defied the Emperor himself!"
"... Witch Jie Xin, Witch Jie Ling, Witch Ye Li, Witch Yao Die, Witch Qing Ying, Witch Lan Ting, Witch Hua Jing, Witch Yu Wu, and Witch Chanyi shall be made the imperial concubines of Great Limitless Emperor Yun and the exclusive servants of Empress Chi. They shall assist the Emperor and the Empress with their needs."
"The Star God Emperor, Xing Tong, is bestowed the title 'Consort Red'. She will reside in the Crimson Jasmine Star Palace."
"The Moon God Emperor, Xia Qingyue, is bestowed the title 'Consort Glazed Glass'. She will reside in the Untainted Moon Palace."
"The Brahma Heaven God Emperor, Qianye Ying'er, is bestowed the title 'Consort Gold'. She will reside in the Golden Silk Palace."
"The Dragon Princess, Long Shen Xi, is bestowed the title 'Consort Dragon.' She will reside in the Sacred Dragon Palace."
"The Snow Song Realm King, Mu Xuanyin, is bestowed the title 'Consort Ice'. She will reside in the Ice Phoenix Palace."
"The Wind fairy, Luo Guxie, is bestowed the title 'Consort Purple Wind'. She will reside in the Passionate Wind Palace."
Witches, Star Gods, Moon Gods, Lady Goddesses, Shen Xi, and even the God Emperors… every name was a star a Divine Master dared not even dream of in a lifetime. Yet, they were all going to become the consorts of the great emperor.
Meanwhile, Qi Tianli was still continuing his announcement:
"... an 'Enforcement Bureau' will be established in each and every upper star realm, middle star realm, and lower star realm of the four Divine Regions. It will be responsible for maintaining the law and order of all realms."
"Cang Shitian shall be made the Chief Enforcer, the head of all enforcers… Furthermore, a deputy chief enforcer shall be appointed to each Divine Region. The Great Glazed Light Realm King Shui Qianheng will oversee the Eastern Divine Region; the Blue Dragon Divine Attendant Qing Ruo will oversee the Western Divine Region; Chief Enforcer Cang Shitian will oversee the Southern Divine Region; and the imperial concubine Yu Wu will oversee the Northern Divine Region…"
"The enforcers will answer to the Great Limitless Emperor Yun and the Great Empress only. Furthermore, the king realm's realm kings and the enforcers will be supervising each other. If an enforcer is discovered to have committed a crime themselves, they will be considered to be doubly guilty!"
Absolute silence dominated the entire God Realm. There wasn't a single person, especially the rulers, who didn't understand what the creation of the "Enforcer Bureaus" and the "Enforcers" meant.
It meant that the Chief Enforcer, all the way down to the lowest Enforcer of a lower star realm, would be clutching every inch of the God Realm in a death grip in the name of the Great Limitless Emperor Yun very soon. That the announcement was so brief and to the point almost felt like an understatement of the scale of the matter.
After that bombshell announcement was the announcement of various rules:
"... dark profound energy is but an offshoot of all the profound energies that exist in this universe. Neither is better nor more righteous than the other. Therefore, all profound practitioners are forbidden from discriminating, hurting, or exiling a dark profound practitioner from now on… all dark profound practitioners are required to set down their resentment and live in harmony with their new neighbors as well. Anyone who harms another profound practitioner without good cause or reason shall be punished equally."
Yun Wuji and Chi Wuyao had made promises to the Northern Region's three King Realms. Furthermore, when Chi Wuyao began recruiting the profound practitioners of the Northern Divine Region, she promised to free them all from their prison of oppression and discrimination.
"...All the realms are required to cooperate with the respective officials in constructing the signal profound towers, as well as the formations. If any damage befalls them, the king of the Star Realm will be held accountable."
Yun Wuji wanted to create something similar to the internet to connect the entire God Realm, not only to further strengthen his control over it but also to advance its development by making communication, trade, education, and entertainment much easier.
"The Wood Spirits are the universe's purest beings, and a gift from the ancient Creation Gods. Therefore, the act of hunting Wood Spirits is considered an unforgivable sin! Anyone who breaks this rule shall be sentenced to death alongside their sects and clans; not even a God Emperor is exempt from this rule. Hunt a Wood Spirit, and you will die!"
"If a Wood Spirit is discovered to have been killed in a domain, everyone from the lord of the domain to the realm king themselves will be punished severely!"
The Qilin Emperor continued to announce more rules and laws for a while. The regulations were highly comprehensive and complex, having been carefully devised by Chi Wuyao, who had spent a great deal of time formulating them.
When Qi Tianli finished announcing the rules, he finally declared that the celebration could begin. A strange scene followed as many people celebrated in their Profound Arks, yet none dared to set foot in the city above them.
Yun Wuji did not stay long after the party started; he silently left and returned to the palace.
Not long after he departed, some of the women exchanged glances and quietly followed him.
Yun Wuji was about to head to Chu Yuechan's palace to see her and, of course, his adorable little daughter, when suddenly a delicate white hand grabbed his collar and pulled him into a room before the door was closed behind him.
"Yao Die, what are you doing? Wait, why are you all here?!" Yun Wuji exclaimed, startled by Yao Die's actions. His shock deepened when he realized the other witches were there as well, all staring at him with predatory gazes.
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I incorporated many sections from the original novel, so this chapter is quite long (3760 words).
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