Emperor’s Domination

The news of Star Stomper High God coming into being and killing Divine Palace High God spread across Pure in a short time. It shocked many great powers and even imperial lineages.

This was especially noteworthy because Star Stomper was prestigious and had an ancestral bloodline. Thus, the great powers were more attentive to the event.

This news overshadowed something else, the death of the Heavenly Phoenix Royal Lord.

People didn’t care about this particular casualty during the ordeal because they were only focusing on news about Star Stomper.

However, one person didn’t forget about him, his daughter, the Heavenly Phoenix Princess. She instantly heard about his death and became horrified.

“What?! Father was killed?!” She stood up and shouted after hearing the message.

The princess was a very calm and steady person even in face of many great responsibilities and troubles. Alas, she still became flustered and trembled, needing to push down on the table in order to stand straight since her legs were giving up.

“Yes, Your Highness, please mobilize and avenge His Majesty!” The messenger was an old minister under the royal lord; he was also part of the royal family. He was prostrating before the princess at this moment.

This news was too much for the princess. Her brother was just killed a while ago and now, it was her father’s turn to die. It definitely shook her to the core.

“Who is the murderer?!” The princess chillingly inquired.

The old minister hurriedly responded: “It’s that Li Qiye who calls himself Fiercest, he killed His Majesty and a High Ancestor. Looks like he won’t stop before killing all of Heavenly Phoenix!”

“Li Qiye…” The princess’ expression turned cold.

There was an old adage – nothing is thicker than blood. So now, it was a tough period for the princess with the death of two family members.

“Tell me everything, carefully.” The princess took a deep breath and quelled her emotional pain before asking the minister.

“Your Highness, His Majesty only wanted to offer his respect during Star Stomper High God’s birthday. Who would have thought that the Feng Clan would conspire with Li Qiye to humiliate him. He couldn’t stand comments besmirching our kingdom’s glory and honor so he fought against Li Qiye…” The old minister embellished the story.

Of course, this was the opposite of what had actually happened. He made it sound as if Li Qiye was a heinous villain who humiliated their kingdom and the War-Monarch Clan. On the other hand, Heavenly Phoenix Royal Lord was the humble gentleman who kept it cool until the line was crossed. In the end, he died to Li Qiye.

The princess sat down in silence after hearing this. Despite the embellishment and lies, the princess was clear on one thing, that she must at least avenge her father.

She was full of regrets because she did try to convince him against vengeance before he left. It wouldn’t have been late to do so after the bigger picture was finished. Alas, her father went against it and rushed for revenge, his last undoing.

“Your Highness, please mobilize. This Fiercest first killed the prince and now also the royal lord. He truly wants to destroy our kingdom. Kill him and flatten the Peng Clan to show the world your might!” The minister slammed his forehead on the ground and beseeched.

The princess gently waved her sleeve and said: “I’ll make a decision about this. They will not die in vain but the time is not now.”

“Your Highness, please mobilize now! For His Majesty and the crown prince! All of Heavenly Phoenix are willing to die at the vanguard!” The old minister cried and continued to kowtow.

“Elder Shi, you are stricken with grief, please go rest. Take your leave.” The princess spoke, leaving no room for objection.

“Your Highness, you must avenge His Majesty!” The old minister didn’t want to leave but her attendants dragged him out. He continued to shout outside the door.

She sat there and ignored him then closed her eyes. Her fists were tightly clenched as she shuddered and tears inadvertently dripped from her eyes.

“Your Highness, will you mobilize?” After a long while, an old woman resembling a specter appeared next to the princess and softly asked.

The princess sat with a mournful expression without replying. Despite being an amazing woman, the pain of losing a father was still overwhelming.

“With your current status, if you personally go and ask the High Gods of the War-Monarch Clan, capturing this Li Qiye might not be difficult.” The woman suggested after seeing a lack of response.

The princess composed herself after a while and gently shook her head: “I knew this day was a possibility when Father didn’t listen to my advice.”

In fact, she knew that her father would go looking for revenge but she couldn’t stop him. Thus, it would only be a matter of time but she still felt terrible about it.

“It’s too late for words now because His Majesty is dead. The only thing we can do is avenge him.” The old woman said.

The old woman followed the princess to the War-Monarch Clan so she was emotionally attached to Heavenly Phoenix, hence her support for vengeance.

“No.” The princess refused: “My position isn’t to scheme for Heavenly Phoenix nor personal vendetta. The only reason I’m sitting here is because the Grand Emperors believe in me and my ability to act within the realm of my authority.”

The princess was still an outsider. Just imagine, how many talents did a clan with five emperors have? Why did they pick a daughter-in-law and give her authority over their armies? Even the clan’s ancestors and a few High Gods listened to her orders? Was this all because she was Jin Ge’s fiancee?

That alone wasn’t enough regardless of how much Jin Ge adored her. An outsider like the princess wasn’t qualified to have so much authority on this basis alone. Her power was predicated on the trust that the Grand Emperors of the clan have in her.

The other ancestors couldn’t be in charge of this decision, putting an outsider in charge of administrative duties.

“Well… do we just act as if nothing has happened then?” The old woman understood the gravity of the situation and the right choice. Nevertheless, she was still unwilling because she was born in Heavenly Phoenix, a citizen from there. No one could swallow the anger of their lord being killed.

“I understand, everyone in Heavenly Phoenix wants revenge for Father, but not now!” The princess said with a serious tone: “I will not mobilize a single soldier to have retribution for my own family. Nothing is more important than my husband becoming a Grand Emperor. Why is it that I am in this position? It is all because my husband can become a Grand Emperor. Everyone holds him in high regards. That’s why the resources of the War-Monarchs are poured into him. The gods in the thirteen continents all give him some face, and this is why Heavenly Phoenix is respected today. If Husband was only an ordinary in the clan, would I be sitting here today? Would Heavenly Phoenix be enjoying all of the current perks and glory? Our side’s prosperity is predicated on husband becoming an emperor.”

Here, the princess became solemn and continued: “If he can’t become an emperor, then it is tantamount to being a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water. Thus, if he can’t become an emperor, then nothing else will exist. This was why I didn’t mobilize when father came to ask me for help.” [1]

“It wasn’t because I’m cold-hearted, that I’m untouched after brother and father were murdered! I will be a sinner if I waste military power for vengeance, causing my husband to fail during his ascension. I would be letting both the War-Monarch and Heavenly Phoenix down. Without the War-Monarchs, how much stronger can our kingdom grow? Without the protection of a son-in-law Grand Emperor, can we become stronger than we are currently?” The princess said sternly.

1. Can’t touch a flower in the mirror or the moon’s reflection in the water, meaning ephemeral or a lack of true sustenance, I suppose