405: Two choices!

Li Qianhai reclined on the jade couch in the Nine Heavens' main hall, idly toying with a Golden Immortal token.

Ever since the Great Emperor Xuanyuan ascended the throne and implemented the policy of "Equality for all cultivators, shared Ascension," the entire Immortal Realm had truly been peaceful, with no wars for a century.

For a veteran general like him who had built his career on slaughter, it was like sitting on pins and needles.

Deputy General Mo Yuan bowed as he entered the hall and whispered, "My Lord, I have heard news—that group of remnants from the Chi Clan who escaped from our Nine Heavens years ago has actually established a foothold in the Seventh Heaven! They have built a giant city called 'Chi City,' and their leader, Chi Yao, has declared herself king. Tomorrow is their founding ceremony!"

"The Chi King?" Li Qianhai was stunned for a moment, then burst into earth-shattering laughter, rocking back and forth: "Hahaha! A bunch of lowly slaves who mine ore, actually able to make such waves? Interesting, truly interesting! Since they are the 'rats' released by my Nine Heavens, how could I not prepare a grand gift and offer my congratulations in person?"

He stood up abruptly, cold light flashing in his eyes.

Over these hundred years, he had concentrated on Cultivating the "Heaven-Reaching Cultivation Technique" made public by the Great Emperor Xuanyuan, having long since achieved a Breakthrough to the Peak of the Golden Immortal realm. He had even personally trained a thousand-strong elite force of True Immortals called the "Thousand Blade Army," which swept through the Ninth Heaven, with no one daring to challenge them.

Throughout the entire Immortal Realm, the name Li Qianhai also caused all the Immortal Lords to tremble.

The next morning, Li Qianhai personally led the Thousand Blade Army, majestically tearing through the sky and descending directly upon the Seventh Heaven!

At this moment, Chi City was holding its founding ceremony.

One hundred thousand Chi Clan members gathered in the square, banners fluttering in the wind, with red flames spreading like a prairie fire.

On the high platform, Chi Yao was dressed in royal red-gold robes, her long hair tied up in a crown, looking heroic and spirited.

The people shouted in unison: "Chi King! Chi King! Chi King!" The sound was like a tidal wave, rushing straight into the clouds.

Just at the Peak of the crowd's cheering—

The sky suddenly split open!

The pressure of a thousand True Immortals collapsed like a mountain. The Thousand Blade Army descended in formation, their golden armor shining like the sun, their Killing Intent soaring to the heavens!

The entire scene fell into dead silence.

Countless people looked up in terror: "Who is it?!"

Li Qianhai stood in the air, hands behind his back, sneering: "Someone here to deliver a gift."

Before his voice had even faded, he waved his hand casually, and two Chi Clan guards instantly turned into blood mist!

The Chi Clan army roared and surrounded them, blades and spears like a forest, red flames burning the sky.

However, in front of True Immortals, it was nothing more than throwing eggs at a rock.

With just a single charge, the Thousand Blade Army shattered the one-hundred-thousand-strong army. The Chi Clan generals had not even reached Perfection in the Tribulation Crossing Realm; how could they withstand a single blow from a True Immortal?

"Chi Yao!" Li Qianhai's gaze was like lightning, locked onto the high platform. "Do you not recognize me anymore?!"

Chi Yao's expression changed drastically—that face which had once brought her endless nightmares had truly returned! She gritted her teeth and drew the red blade from her waist—it was the divine weapon gifted to her by Lu Chen a century ago, its blade flowing with red light.

"Li Qianhai!! It's you!!" Her voice trembled, yet she forced herself to remain calm.

Li Qianhai laughed: "That's right, a lowly slave like you has actually become a True Immortal! It seems you haven't lived these years in vain." He looked around Chi City with greedy eyes: "This city... is even larger than my fief in the Nine Heavens! The layout is exquisite, the ore veins crisscross, the red fire circulation forms its own system... truly a masterpiece!"

He suddenly raised his hand, his voice shaking the surroundings: "From today on, I declare—Chi City belongs to me, Li Qianhai! You Chi Clan members, either submit as slaves, or... be completely wiped out!"

Chi Yao gripped the red blade tightly, her face deathly pale.

She knew that this battle was doomed to fail.

But she could not retreat—behind her were one hundred thousand clansmen, a century of hard work, and the final dignity of the Chi Clan.

Unfortunately, Chi Yao and the one hundred thousand Chi Clan warriors were as fragile as withered autumn leaves before Li Qianhai's Thousand Blade Army.

The might of a True Immortal crushed everything.

The red fire was suppressed by Law; before battle cries could even be uttered, bodies had already turned into blood mist.

In just a few moments, the square of Chi City was littered with corpses and rivers of blood; the founding ceremony had instantly turned into a Shura slaughterhouse.

Chi Yao stood alone in the center of the ruins, her red blade broken, her royal robes stained with blood, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth onto the ground. She was surrounded by thousands of True Immortals, yet she still held her back straight, her gaze like a torch.

Li Qianhai walked over slowly, his eyes full of amusement and greed: "I heard you once declared—that there is no man in this world worthy of you? Well, now... am I worthy?"

Chi Yao sneered and spat out a mouthful of blood-stained saliva: "Stop the nonsense, just kill me!"

"Hehehe..." Li Qianhai was not angry at all, but rather even more excited: "I just happen to like a fiery woman like you. I will give you two choices: either I slaughter your entire clan, leaving no one alive; or, you become my woman and enjoy all the glory—choose!"

Chi Yao laughed up at the sky, her laughter sorrowful and resolute: "Our Chi Clan has been enslaved for tens of thousands of years, living by mining, suffering endless humiliation! Having finally earned our freedom and built a home, how could we kneel just to survive? Today, I would rather die in battle than submit!"

"Better to die than submit!!" The remaining thousands of Chi Clan warriors roared in unison; even if they only had one breath left, they would protect their King!

"Very well!" Li Qianhai's Killing Intent surged: "Kill them all for me—leave no one behind!"

Just at this moment—

Goose-feather snowflakes suddenly began to drift from the sky.

Everyone was stunned.

The Seventh Heaven had never seen snow, and the Nine Heavens had no such phenomenon! The snowflakes were as pure as jade, falling silently, as if heaven and earth were weeping for this tragedy, seeing the Chi Clan off.

From deep within the curtain of snow, a figure slowly walked out. He was dressed in white as snow, with a handsome face, yet his eyes were as deep as the beginning of the Universe.

Li Qianhai felt a chill in his heart and shouted sternly: "Who are you?! State your name!"

Chi Yao shuddered, her eyes instantly moistening, tears welling up as her voice trembled: "Li... Li Feiyu?! Is it you? Is it really you?!"

The man smiled slightly, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "I didn't expect that even though I wiped your memories back then, you could still recognize me by instinct. It seems that you... truly haven't forgotten me."

Before his voice had even faded, he tapped his fingertip lightly on the center of Chi Yao's forehead.

In an instant, memories sealed for a hundred years surged like a flood—the first meeting in the mine, the vows of love... all the days and nights, all the heartbeats, were fully revived!

Chi Yao could no longer hold back; she threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably: "You finally came... wuwuwu... I have waited for you for so long... I thought I would never see you again in this lifetime..."

The surviving members of the Chi Clan were dumbfounded—the cold, icy Chi King who commanded armies and made enemies tremble in fear was now like a wronged, helpless little girl, holding onto that man tightly as if he were her only reliance.

Li Qianhai narrowed his eyes. Although he sensed no spiritual power fluctuations from the other party, he did not dare to act rashly. Suppressing his anger, he cupped his hands and said: "Who are you, Your Excellency? I am Li Qianhai, the head of the Nine Heavens. If I have caused any offense, please forgive me."

Lu Chen did not even look at him, but said calmly: "I will give you two choices: one, commit suicide on the spot and leave your corpse intact; two, I will kill you all with my own hands."

"Arrogant!" Li Qianhai flew into a rage: "Even if the Great Emperor Xuanyuan himself were here, he would not dare to humiliate me like this! Attack—kill!"