A Will Eternal

The way the Arch-Emperor smiled made him seem very different from before. His left eye had been dug out, seemingly by himself. Normally speaking, he shouldn’t have aged so dramatically, but because of his years of imprisonment, and the brutal ways the Vile-Prince had used him for research purposes, he had.

He was the magnificent reigning Arch-Emperor. Back in the Wildlands, the Grand Heavenmaster had turned him into a puppet ruler, but formally, he was still the most respected ruler in the world, a person toward who innumerable citizens offered worship!

But now… his bleak and battered state caused Bai Xiaochun to tremble. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but his words stuck in his throat as he thought back to what the Arch-Emperor had been like back in the Wildlands. Right now… he looked like a completely different person.

Never could Bai Xiaochun have guessed that he might see the Arch-Emperor right here and now!

When the Vile-Prince sensed the fluctuations of Bai Xiaochun’s divine sense, his eyes glittered, and a feeling of immense pride rose up in his heart. He had racked his brains to come up with ideas to deal with Bai Xiaochun, to force him to commit some mistake or crime. After all, he was an ambassador, in a sensitive position. But if the Vile-Prince could get him to do something bad enough, then it would make things much easier.

The truth was that the Vile-Prince truly did want to get his hands on Bai Xiaochun’s physical body, and most specifically, all of his blood. He was confident that, with his blood, he could unlock the secrets of the Arch-Sovereign’s bloodline, his goal being to learn about both spirit enhancement and hereditary cultivation techniques.

By now, it was no secret in the Eternal Immortal Domains that Bai Xiaochun had cultivated the Undying Live Forever Technique. And his heaven-defying powers of regeneration had left many opponents shaken. The Vile-Prince had already acquired the necessary manuals describing the technique.

However, he was unable to cultivate them. Only people with the blood of the Heavenspan Realm could do so. That was the most fundamental requirement for the technique.

And thus, the Vile-Prince passionately wanted to take Bai Xiaochun’s body!

Now that he had finally found a way to get under Bai Xiaochun’s skin, he began to chuckle loudly.

“Ambassador Bai, I'm very interested in spirit enhancement. And as you know, I pursue perfection in all things. Part by part, I’ve even replaced my own body inside and out.

“Listen, I won’t lie to you. I already have a bit of Heavenspan Realm blood in me, and have begun to acquire a basic understanding of spirit enhancement. But the blood I have just isn’t enough….

“My father the emperor has already approved my request to refine the Arch-Emperor, and use his flesh and blood to create a new arm for myself!

“It will be an arm completely imbued with the blood of the Heavenspan Realm. With that… I am confident that I’ll unlock the secrets of the Arch-Sovereign’s bloodline!” As of this point, the Vile-Prince seemed completely crazed, as if he were truly insane.

And yet, most of the people bearing witness to what was playing out, even the demigods, seemed envious of him.

At this point, the Vile-Prince lifted his left hand and then slashed it down, instantly chopping off his right arm. Even as blood sprayed out everywhere, he reached out, grabbed the Arch-Emperor, and began to drag him toward the open wound!

Tendrils of muscle and flesh then snaked out in bizarre and sinister fashion, boring into the Arch-Emperor's body. Although he trembled and spasmed, he continued to smile as he looked at Bai Xiaochun. And then, he managed to speak.

“My left eye contained all of the secrets of the Arch-Sovereign’s bloodline! No one will ever get them!

“From the first day I began to suffer this humiliation, and came to learn of their thirst for such secrets, I dug that eye out and destroyed it. The secrets of the Arch-Sovereign’s bloodline are the foundation of the Heavenspan Realm. They are everything, and… no one will ever take them away!” It took the last scraps of energy the Arch-Emperor had to be able to speak such words in front of all the officials of the Vile-Emperor Dynasty, and even the Vile-Emperor himself.

Furthermore, it was clear that his words were directed toward one person: Bai Xiaochun!

He knew that although Bai Xiaochun’s blood was not the most true and orthodox, in some ways, it surpassed his own!

He also knew that he was the emperor of the Heavenspan Realm. Perhaps he was the last emperor, but that was his fault, and he had to bear the responsibility. Even if he couldn’t be the emperor anymore, he still could not let the secrets of his bloodline fall into the hands of an enemy!

Instead… he would trust Bai Xiaochun!

“From the moment I dug out my left eye, I ceased to be the Arch-Emperor. Today I die, but not as an emperor! I am only an ordinary demigod from the Heavenspan Realm!” He threw his head back and laughed uproariously, at the same time trembling as the tendrils of flesh and muscle from the Vile-Prince dug into him. He was already withering up physically, almost like melting wax!

And yet, his voice thrummed with excitement, and despite his weakened state, echoed out in all directions.

“I am no longer the Arch-Emperor. The true Arch-Emperor… appeared in the moment that the Heavenspan Realm was destroyed!” Even as his laughter began to fade, his left eye socket began to glow with bright light!

And that light shone on one person…. Bai Xiaochun!

He hadn’t yet finished speaking, and yet everyone in the imperial palace knew exactly what he meant when he said that a new Arch-Emperor had appeared. That person was obviously… Bai Xiaochun!

The Vile-Prince was not absorbing the Arch-Emperor. Instead… he was giving the old Arch-Emperor a chance to formally chose his successor, with the officials of the Vile-Emperor Dynasty present to bear witness!!

The successor of the Arch-Emperor!!

Even as his words continued to echo within the imperial palace, the old Arch-Emperor withered away, becoming increasingly unrecognizable. Slowly but surely, his left eye went dark. However, despite his bitter state, his smile remained. He had finally discharged all of his responsibilities.

Bai Xiaochun trembled, his eyes welling up with tears as he clasped hands and bowed deeply!!

It was a show of respect to the previous Arch-Emperor, a display of respect to a great hero!!

In the past, he might not have been a hero, but now he was. Even though it happened in the last moment, that did not change its significance!

Not even the Vile-Prince could ever have guessed that something like this would happen. Immediately, he felt overwhelmed with humiliation. Howling, he took the lump of flesh and blood that was the old Arch-Emperor and sent wriggling tendrils of flesh and blood all over him until he became… an arm!!

Then the arm was pulled back toward the wound on his shoulder, and was stitched to it!!

The power of the blood of the Heavenspan Realm immediately began to emanate from the arm, and when the Vile-Prince detected that, he clenched his hand into a fist and started laughing.

“What do you think of my new arm, Ambassador Bai?” he said, looking over at Bai Xiaochun with narrowed eyes. “Do you sense that aura of spirit enhancement?!”

Bai Xiaochun was still lowered in a bow. However, his eyes were so bloodshot they seemed like they might start bleeding, and the impulse to take action began to rise up in his heart.

There was no way he could respond to the Vile-Prince in this moment. The killing intent in his heart was so strong that it towered to the heavens, and if he unleashed it, it would lead to destruction of a cataclysmic nature.

He stared with burning eyes at the Vile-Prince, then turned his gaze to the Vile-Emperor.

“Your Majesty the Vile-Emperor. I might be from the Heavenspan Realm, but I'm also the ambassador of the Saint-Emperor Dynasty. Furthermore, I'm one of only twelve celestials in the entire Eternal Immortal Domains. In this so-called banquet of yours, a demigod prince of your dynasty has heaped utter humiliation onto me, which was completely uncalled for. If this happens again, then I don’t think you can blame me… for killing someone!” With that, he turned and left.

The Vile-Prince felt like he was going crazy. The look in Bai Xiaochun’s eyes moments ago had been far more intense than earlier, and had burned into the prince's heart like a red-hot branding iron.

Before he could say anything further, Bai Xiaochun was gone.

At that point, the Vile-Prince began to grow somewhat calm, although fury still burned inside of him. As he tried to decide what to do next, the Vile-Emperor looked at him, a trace of ridicule in his eyes that no one else could detect. Some of that ridicule was for Bai Xiaochun, but most of it was for the Vile-Prince.

Without saying another word, he rose to his feet and left, followed by Virūpākṣa and the others. All of them knew that, on this occasion, Bai Xiaochun had somehow managed to avert a major catastrophe.

Eventually, the Vile-Prince was left alone, his face distorted with rage, and his eyes flickering with insanity.

“You're mine, Bai Xiaochun! I will have your body!!” Flicking his sleeve angrily, he turned and stalked off.