Chapter 99: Chapter 86: What Is the Meaning of Being Number One in the World?
Since Martial Artist Shen Yu has already proclaimed himself emperor, it means he intends to unify the entire world.
No dissent will be tolerated from anyone else.
This is the way of this world, and likewise, it is in line with common sense.
So, Martial Artist Shen Yu has decided to use forceful means directly.
He does not even care whether the common people accept it or not.
Time is limited, and Martial Artist Shen Yu does not have so much time to waste here.
What’s more, from the map, Sun and Moon Venerable City and the vast surrounding cities are all in the area affected by the storm.
The current situation is still unknown.
And just as Shen Yu was hastening toward Sun and Moon Venerable City, the city itself was steeped in misery.
One martial artist after another wrapped themselves in heavy coats, constantly patrolling the streets—this had always been perfectly normal in the past, yet now it was mixed with an unspeakable absurdity.
Because, in every corner of the streets, whether in the alcoves, on the walls, or even next to the back doors of wealthy households, all kinds of stiff corpses were piled high.
Yes, corpses.
And each one looked vivid and lifelike.
All of them had frozen to death in just these few days.
Only three days ago, after the Sect Leader of Earth Martial Sect, Xu Yuan—who had pledged allegiance to an Immortal and become the Immortal Envoy—departed on the Immortal Ship, the entire city plunged into an inexplicable storm.
The already frigid temperature suddenly dropped even further!
Let alone the ever-increasing number of beggars starving for food—even among the servants and maids of wealthy households, if they were not allocated firewood, they froze to death en masse.
They were simply thrown outside the doors.
At such temperatures, there was no need to worry about the bodies decaying or emitting stench, so no one cared for them, creating this purgatory-like scene of corpses everywhere.
"How could Sun and Moon City become like this?" a patrolling guard murmured, unable to suppress his pity as he looked at the corpse of a maid barely twelve or thirteen years old.
"Rumor has it," whispered another, younger patrolling guard, "that the Venerable once offended an Immortal, that’s why..."
But before he could finish, he was abruptly cut off.
"Shut up! Do you want to die?"
The warning, voiced just as quietly, was carried away by the howling icy wind.
"I was just saying," the young guard said with an awkward smile, "it’s all nonsense from ignorant folks. I won’t say anything more. I won’t say it again."
The two hurried on their way.
However, what they did not know was that, in a room not far off, a group of people huddled together in the raging wind had heard their conversation with perfect clarity.
Just from looking at the scene inside that room, one could tell these people’s power must be incredibly profound.
The reason was simple—the room was not even heated by a fireplace!
Even those patrolling guards could only muster their True Power to patrol for ten or so minutes before needing the warmth of a fire-lit room.
And if anyone carefully identified these people, they would find it unbelievable.
Because these were, without exception, the deputy city lords or second-in-command figures from the cities near Sun and Moon Venerable City.
"You all heard it," rumbled a burly man whose very presence felt like a blazing furnace. "How laughable. Three days ago, these same guards and commoners swore to defend the Venerable of Sun and Moon to the death—even an Immortal could not force the Venerable to yield. But now, after just three days, some are already doubting the Venerable."
"What’s strange about it?" an older, gaunt man replied. "They are but the ignorant masses. In the past, the storm and the Heavenly Calamity had not spread here, and the city still had abundant food—these fools didn’t know how the world had changed, nor how many had already died."
"The ignorant may not know, but the Venerable does!" another man slammed the table. "Everywhere is a tragic hell now. Earth Martial Sect was immensely powerful, yet less than one-tenth of the sect survived—even those only survived because of the Immortal Ship!"
Indeed, although it was difficult to transmit news in this era, these powerful cities were clearly an exception.
They each had some means of rapid communication.
Whether through special Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, or Spirit Birds, they had already pieced together seven or eight parts of the tale about the Immortals.
They still did not know exactly what the Immortals were, but that Immortal Ship able to ferry thousands through the deadly winds unscathed was undeniably real.
As for food, it was very likely genuine as well, otherwise why bring so many people with them?
On these two points alone, there was no justification to offend them so!
Now, where is food not scarce? Even Sun and Moon Venerable City is only temporarily supplied—once production is wiped out, how long can current stocks last?
To put it bluntly,
Those dead outside the wealthy families’ houses—were they all due to a lack of firewood?
How many were intentionally sacrificed to save food?
Even common small households can see this—can the Venerable truly not?
"Enough." Suddenly, an old man, his hair snowy white but his aura steady and intense, spoke up. "We are gathered here not to debate these matters, but to decide what we should do."
The old man turned his gaze to the only young person in the room—a graceful beauty whose bearing was as cold as snow.
"Fairy Han Si, you are the Venerable’s Closed-door Disciple, and also the most outstanding prodigy Sun and Moon Venerable City has seen in a century. Is there nothing you can do to persuade the Venerable to change his orders?"