248: Chapter 247 Suppressing the Lower Realm

Everyone waited quietly, waiting for the final verdict from Yuan Chen.

This was a Golden Immortal, after all. Although it seemed only one Realm higher than a 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal, they could not be mentioned in the same breath. If a Golden Immortal were to fall in the Cultivation World, it would be enough to go down in history.

High in the air, the state of Golden Immortal Ao Li had become miserable to the extreme.

His ten-thousand-foot Dragon body had shrunk significantly, shedding the Divine Might that had once blotted out the sky. Only a faint phantom of his true form, a few feet long, floated in the Void Realm. His golden scales were shattered and peeling, and wounds of varying depths covered his Dragon body. Scalding golden Dragon blood dripped continuously from the wounds, falling onto the newly sprouted green fields, only to be swallowed and dissolved by the Spiritual Qi of the earth in an instant.

He could clearly perceive that Yuan Chen's seemingly calm gaze actually contained supreme pressure that held the power of life and death, determining fate. Every inch that landed on him made his Divine Soul tremble and his Dragon heart tighten.

Kill, or spare?

Just at this critical moment where life and death hung by a thread and the entire scene was silent, a voice filled with suppressed grief, steady and earnest, suddenly rang out, breaking the silence of heaven and earth.

Clan Leader Ao Yi stood out again.

His posture was straight, yet he could not hide the heavy despondency on his shoulders; the blood-red sorrow of witnessing Great Elder Ao Yin being refined to death still lingered in his eyes.

The grief of Great Elder Ao Yin's death pressed heavily on his heart, almost making him unable to breathe. But he could only force down his churning emotions, enduring the bone-chilling sorrow, and bowed deeply to Yuan Chen. His attitude was extremely respectful, his tone earnest to the extreme.

"Yuan Chen! This old man dares to speak, once again pleading for Golden Immortal Ao Li!"

"But looking at the whole sequence of this disaster, the true source that started the conflict and planted the evil Karma was the Grand Elder's unprovoked arrogance, which led step by step to today's tragedy."

"Golden Immortal Ao Li resides in the Immortal Realm and has lived in the Upper Realm Divine Domain for a long time. He did not know the specific Karma of the mortal world and was completely deceived and misled by one-sided words, passively drawn into the conflict. Although he is guilty, he is by no means a person who has committed heinous crimes and must die. In terms of merits and faults, it is far from the point where he should be utterly destroyed."

"Now that the Grand Elder is dead, I ask you to spare the Old Ancestor's life."

Pausing slightly, Clan Leader Ao Yi looked up at Yuan Chen, his gaze sincere and open:

"Furthermore, Golden Immortal Ao Li was personally appointed by the Upper Realm Dragon Clan. He is tied to the face, branch lineages, and the right to speak of the Upper Realm Dragon Clan in this plane."

"You have now swept across the mortal world, suppressed all races, and are invincible in the Lower Realm, having already forged an unparalleled mortal hegemony. But the path of cultivation is long and endless. This world is by no means the end. Ascension to the Immortal Realm and embarking on the true path of immortality is surely the path you must take in the future!"

"If you execute the representative of the Dragon Clan today, you might vent your current anger, but this matter will inevitably spread to the Upper Realm. When you achieve Perfection and break through the barrier to ascend one day, your Foundation will be unstable and you will have no connections upon first entering the Immortal Realm. Facing the Golden Dragon Clan, with its ancient heritage and tangled factions, you will inevitably be restricted everywhere, and the losses will outweigh the gains!"

"Instead of killing them all, it is better to leave a margin of decency and keep a thread of buffer. Forgiving Golden Immortal Ao Li's life also paves a way for your future Ascension to the Immortal Realm!"

Clan Leader Ao Yi's persuasion was indeed sincere and heartfelt, considering things for Yuan Chen.

Dominating the Lower Realm was only a temporary glory in a corner; true Prodigy overlords must eventually leap out of the shackles of the plane and ascend to the vast Immortal Realm.

If the momentary pleasure of slaughter now were to be exchanged for thorns at every step on the eternal path of immortality in the future, it would truly be not worth it.

Just like him, Clan Leader Ao Yi, as a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, did not need to care too much about strength in the Lower Realm. As long as he could successfully pass through the Mahayana Stage, the true beginning would only come after ascending to the Immortal Realm.

When Clan Leader Ao Yi finished speaking, the atmosphere in the arena became even more heated. Many people nodded secretly; it was indeed the truth.

Elder Hei Yan remained silent for a long time before rarely speaking up, pleading for Golden Immortal Ao Li.

"I also think it is better to spare his life."

He understood the structure of the Upper Realm tribes and knew the real situation and complex relationships of the various Dragon Clan factions in the Immortal Realm far better than anyone else.

The Upper Realm Dragon Clan was also full of internal factions, with huge disparities in strength and checks and balances, far from being as united as it appeared on the surface.

As long as there are many people, there will be groups; this is unavoidable.

Among the many top clans in the Upper Realm, the Azure Dragon Clan had mediocre heritage, ordinary combat power, and a weak voice. They had relied on various top forces for years and were in an awkward position, so they could not provide much help to Yuan Chen.

As for the Black Dragon Clan he belonged to, although it had deep heritage and strong combat power, it did not easily take sides. He only represented the Lower Realm branch in submitting to Yuan Chen; the main Black Dragon lineage in the Upper Realm would never unconditionally support Yuan Chen just because of him, Elder Hei Yan.

If Yuan Chen executed the opponent today and completely forged a deadly feud, he would be alone when he ascended to the Immortal Realm in the future. Even if Yuan Chen had peerless talent and Heaven-Defying combat power, the Early Stage would be extremely difficult.

Thinking of this, Elder Hei Yan's tone became even more earnest, every word resounding: "The waters of the Immortal Realm are too deep, and there are countless prodigies. You are now invincible in the Lower Realm, but once you break the barrier and ascend, you will be starting from zero—no heritage, no backing, no force, no connections."

"Leaving a chance of survival for now to ease the deadly deadlock is the safest choice!"

At the same time, a light and graceful white figure stepped through the air, her skirt fluttering, with curling Immortal Qi.

Zixia's figure was gentle and agile. She flew through the air to Yuan Chen's side, her jade-like hands gently holding Yuan Chen's arm, her posture intimate and soft.

Her clear eyes looked slightly at Yuan Chen, and she shook her head gently. Her gaze was full of seriousness and earnestness as she spoke softly to persuade him.

"Yuan Chen, do not be impulsive."

With several people advising him one after another, Golden Immortal Ao Li, who had already despaired and accepted his fate high in the air, suddenly saw a brilliant light shine in his dim and dead Dragon eyes after listening to the three of them!

A chance of survival! He still had hope of living!

His near-extinguished desire to survive instantly burned fiercely. His withered body subconsciously straightened up a bit, and his chaotic Dragon Qi calmed down slightly.

Golden Immortal Ao Li quickly suppressed all restlessness and luck, becoming obedient, silent, and docile again.

He was proud and overbearing, but he had lived for eternal ages and was by no means a brainless, arrogant fool.

From Yuan Chen's style of doing things from beginning to end today, he had long thoroughly understood this person's temperament.

Yuan Chen was decisive in killing, acted according to his own heart, and was not coerced.

If he spoke rashly at this moment, it might be counterproductive.

The best choice was to be completely silent.

Yuan Chen turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three of them calmly, and then he shook his head lightly.

A faint, calm smile curled on his lips. His tone was calm and indifferent, carrying absolute confidence and assurance, as he spoke softly: "It is fine."

Two simple words instantly made the atmosphere in the arena tense again.

Yuan Chen's thoughts were clear and transparent, and he had his own ideas.

Everyone worried that his Foundation for Ascension was insufficient, his path to immortality would be bumpy, and he would make enemies on all sides.

But the world was shackled by the rules of heaven and earth. Only he, Yuan Chen, had jumped out of the shackles of the plane and transcended the common sense of cultivation.

The Ascension rules, cultivation limits, and combat power shackles of this world could bind all spirits in the heavens, but they could not bind him.

His strength growth, Dao Foundation transformation, and Dao advancement were completely unrestricted by this world.

When he wanted to break the barrier and when he wanted to ascend were entirely up to his own will, not bound by the shackles of heaven and earth, not constrained by time, and not coerced by rules.

Since his Foundation in the Immortal Realm was shallow, his heritage was insufficient, and rashly ascending might have hidden dangers, he was in no hurry to leave.

He might as well take root in the Lower Realm, solidify his heritage, pile up his strength, polish his Dao Heart, and nourish his clan. When his own strength crushed the heroes of the Immortal Realm, his subordinates rose up, and the Daming Dynasty's heritage surpassed the heavens, he would ascend calmly!

The initiative for Ascension was always in his own hands!

The moment Yuan Chen's words "It is fine" fell, Golden Immortal Ao Li's heart sank heavily in the air. His eyes, which had just lit up with brilliance, instantly turned pale, all color drained away, and his whole body felt ice-cold.

It is over! Pleading is useless! It seems that I cannot escape death after all!

Extreme despair instantly swept through his limbs and bones. The fire of the will to survive that had just ignited was completely extinguished. Golden Immortal Ao Li's body trembled slightly, and his eyes were completely filled with dead silence.

But just at this moment of universal despair, when the dust was about to settle, Yuan Chen's tone suddenly changed, and his indifferent voice rang out again across the ten-thousand-mile wasteland, delivering the final verdict.

"However, there is indeed no need to kill you."

"The death penalty can be avoided, but the living punishment is unavoidable."

His cold gaze locked onto Golden Immortal Ao Li, his tone allowing no resistance, every word resonant and powerful: "I will abolish your Golden Immortal Dao Foundation, knock down your Realm, and suppress you to the level of a 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal. From now on, you will shed your Golden Immortal identity, belong to the Daming Dynasty, and guard the Daming Dynasty for me for three hundred years. I command you to act, and you must not disobey."

As the words fell, the world was settled once again.

Golden Immortal Ao Li trembled all over and looked up abruptly. A deeper, more bone-chilling panic and rejection instantly swept through his entire mind, causing his face to change drastically, his eyes filled with struggle and despair.

A Golden Immortal falling to a 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal! This was far harder for him to accept than death!

Others did not know the cruelty of this, but as an orthodox Golden Immortal who had personally experienced cultivation for eternal ages, he knew best the chasm and the irreversible rules and shackles!

An Immortal Realm Golden Immortal and a Lower Realm 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal seemed to be only one major Realm apart, but in reality, it was a difference of planes, a difference of rules, a difference of Dao Foundation, and a difference of destiny. It was the absolute barrier between the immortal and the mortal paths!

The Golden Immortal Realm had long transcended the shackles of the mortal plane and condensed a Dao Foundation.

And a 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal was ultimately the limit of cultivation in the mortal plane, bound by the rules of this world, limited by the Spiritual Qi level of the plane, and shackled by the upper limit of the Dao.

Falling from an Immortal rank was by no means a simple regression of cultivation!

Once the Golden Immortal Dao Foundation was forcibly shattered and forcibly knocked down to the Loose Immortal Realm, the originally condensed Immortal bones and Immortal Dao Origin would be completely stripped, shattered, and annihilated.

Once the Foundation of the Immortal Dao collapsed, all possibilities of returning to the Golden Immortal Realm and returning to the Immortal Realm would be completely severed!

This meant that once he fell to a 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal today, for the next three hundred, three thousand, or thirty thousand years, even if he exhausted all his remaining years and all the resources of this world, he would never be able to break through to the Golden Immortal Realm again, and he would never be able to return to the vast Immortal Realm!

For Golden Immortal Ao Li, who had lived for eternal ages, ascended the path of immortality, seen the vastness of the Immortal Realm, and held the power of the clan, this was more cruel, more painful, and more desperate than death!

Death was just a momentary curtain call, while falling in Realm, being trapped in the mortal world forever, and having the path to immortality severed was an eternal torture and regret!

Golden Immortal Ao Li's chest heaved violently, his mind pulled to the extreme, struggling in every way, and extremely resistant.

Moreover, to let him fall from a high and mighty Golden Immortal of the Immortal Realm to a Loose Immortal of the Lower Realm, to become a henchman guarding the Dynasty, to submit humbly, to be driven by others, and to be trapped in the mortal world forever—he was extremely resistant from the bottom of his heart and completely unwilling.

But the cruel reality was in front of him, allowing him no self-will.

Not listening, not accepting, daring to resist? What awaited him was immediate refining and reunion with his son's family!

The problem was that Golden Immortal Ao Li was not a family-oriented person!

On one side was living in humiliation and being trapped in the mortal world forever; on the other was falling on the spot, vanishing for eternity, and returning to zero.

The dilemma forced him to struggle endlessly.

High in the air, Yuan Chen quietly overlooked the struggle, unwillingness, fear, and despair in his eyes, his gaze indifferent and transparent, without a ripple.

He knew the shackles of the rules better than Golden Immortal Ao Li.

This world had a plane protection mechanism. All high-level Immortal Venerables from outside had a time limit for staying and could not stay in the Lower Realm for long. As a Golden Immortal of the Immortal Realm, Golden Immortal Ao Li could not stay for long and would sooner or later be repelled by the plane rules and forcibly extradited back to the Immortal Realm.

If he wanted to keep this top combat power in the Lower Realm and use it for himself, the only way was to shatter his Golden Immortal Dao Foundation, deprive him of his Immortal rank Origin, and forcibly knock his Realm down to the limit that this world could tolerate—the 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal.

Only by shedding the Immortal rank and becoming a mortal Cultivator could he completely break free from the traction of the Immortal Realm rules and avoid the rejection of the plane, staying in the Lower Realm permanently.

Today's action was a punishment, a manipulation, and even more so, a layout.

He had only been cultivating for more than twenty years, yet he had already transcended the plane, crushed Golden Immortals, and swept away all enemies in the Lower Realm; his growth speed had long broken the records of eternity.

A mere three hundred years of guarding time seemed long, but in reality, it was just a snap of the fingers.

Three hundred years was enough for him to break free from all shackles, for his strength to skyrocket to a terrifying and unpredictable level, enough for his offspring, relatives, and subordinates to grow up, have full wings, and stand on their own, and enough for the Daming Dynasty to completely solidify its ancient heritage, dominate the plane, and accumulate enough capital to ascend to the Immortal Realm!

When the three hundred years were up, he would be invincible in the heavens, his clansmen would all rise, and the Dynasty's heritage would be monstrous. At that time, he would take his whole family to ascend and collectively arrive in the Immortal Realm!

There would be no need to fear factional checks and balances, no need to fear the heritage of great clans, and no need to humbly beg for mercy. Carrying the eternal prosperous momentum of the Lower Realm, he would sweep across the eight wastelands of the Immortal Realm. How carefree and how overbearing that would be!

Thinking of this, a faint smile flashed in Yuan Chen's eyes. It should be like this, shouldn't it?

And below, Golden Immortal Ao Li's struggle had reached its limit. His face alternated between blue and white, changing constantly, and his Dragon Qi was chaotic and restless.

Seeing this, Clan Leader Ao Yi knew that this was the final moment, allowing no hesitation and no resistance.

He stood out again and persuaded Golden Immortal Ao Li in a deep voice, his tone earnest and serious.

"Old Ancestor! Things have come to this, there is no other choice!"

"If you fall, everything is empty. If you accept the punishment, you can still survive! As long as you are alive, there is a possibility, right?"

"Time is not a problem. When I ascend first in the future, I will protect you after you return to the Upper Realm!"

Golden Immortal Ao Li looked up, his eyes wide and split: "Then I can thank you, ha!"

Subsequently, he sighed in a deep voice and looked powerlessly at Yuan Chen: "Fine, I... will entrust myself to you. I hope you will treat me well in the future!"