Invincible Divine Destiny Selection System Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Emperor's Majesty_1

"I have considered it. I shall grant an audience to the Great Qian Dynasty's envoys here in the Divine Martial Hall in three days' time."

Chu Yuan reached a conclusion.

"Ding! The host has selected Choice Two. Awarded one hundred Destiny Points."

"Current Destiny Points: one thousand four hundred."

"Is it truly wise to delay meeting them for three days?"

Li Yun’s brow furrowed, his expression filled with lingering dissatisfaction. "The Great Qian envoy team has already been waiting outside the hall for some time. Postponing the meeting by three days will surely spark their anger, especially given the volatility of our current circumstances. War could break out at the southern border at any moment. I strongly advise an immediate audience."

"I also find this course of action inappropriate."

The Grand General and the Prime Minister, the two most powerful officials, instantly voiced their dissent.

Any other emperor would likely have buckled under such immense pressure, allowing themselves to be manipulated by these two into meeting the envoys right away.

"There is nothing inappropriate about it. That envoy team is simply here because they expect me to surrender territory and offer tribute. I am well aware of their ulterior motives, but let me be clear: such a thing is absolutely impossible. We will not cede a single inch of our land, nor will any compensation be paid.

If the Grand General and the Prime Minister have concerns, you are free to negotiate with them yourselves after you have left this court. I shall not object."

Chu Yuan let out a cold laugh; he had no intention of being a puppet for these two.

He was fully aware that they had already turned traitor, working steadily to erode his power from within.

Emperors might rise and fall, and even if Great Wu were to collapse, their noble families would not only survive but thrive.

He had grown weary of these schemes long ago.

Chu Yuan gave a dismissive wave of his hand, and Eunuch Wei immediately stepped forward to announce, "The court is dismissed!"

"Our Emperor seems quite different today compared to his usual self."

Standing within the hall and watching Chu Yuan’s departing back, Li Yun’s aged face grew grim.

In today's verbal sparring, they had gained no ground; instead, they had been the ones suppressed.

"Every word he spoke seemed to imply something deeper. Could he possibly know that we have already reached an agreement with the Great Qian Dynasty?"

"Hmph! He is merely a fifteen-year-old boy emperor. Even if he has caught wind of some rumors, what of it?"

Shangguan Yun sneered. "Even if he knows, what power does he have? Without the elite Divine Martial troops, what force can he use to oppose us? We only show him caution now because there are still those loyal to Great Wu. Otherwise, we would have stripped him of his crown long ago. Does he truly believe he can behave so insolently before us?"

"We bear no personal malice toward the Emperor, but the destiny of Great Wu has reached its conclusion; it faces divine retribution. It is time for its fall. The coalition of the four nations is an unstoppable tide. A stalemate will only leave us with no place to be buried. Great Qian has already promised that they will coordinate with us to ensure our families remain untouched."

Li Yun remarked indifferently, "If he would simply remain compliant and follow our lead, he could enjoy a few more years on the throne. But if he persists in defying us, he shouldn't blame us for ending the Great Wu Dynasty and installing another Imperial Dynasty."

"Countless dynasties have replaced one another in this region over the centuries. It is nothing more than a change in the ruling house. Yet, our two families have always remained standing."

"He who recognizes the flow of the times is a truly great man."

....

"A chaotic sea of flowers begins to blur the vision. Though these blooms are exquisite, they are merely transitory; even the most radiant flower will wither when faced with the flames of war."

After leaving the court, Chu Yuan declined the royal carriage, opting instead to walk toward the Imperial Garden.

The vast structures before him were adorned with a multitude of rare and exotic flora. The vibrant flowers were in full bloom, scenting the air with their fragrance. Yet, Chu Yuan had personally witnessed this very Imperial Garden reduced to rubble within three years in another timeline.

"Your Majesty appears to be in a poetic state of mind."

A voice reached Chu Yuan’s ears, dripping with mockery.

Chu Yuan frowned slightly and turned to see a young man dressed in golden armor. His face was full of contempt, showing not a shred of respect for his sovereign.

"Shangguan Yun." Chu Yuan’s expression remained cold. "Is the Imperial Garden a place you may enter without my explicit command?"

"Your humble servant is a Colonel of the Forbidden Army, and I have been ordered by the Grand General to safeguard Your Majesty from any traitorous threats."

Shangguan Yun remained where he stood. "Wherever Your Majesty goes, I shall follow."

"If I were to return to my Imperial Residence to sleep, would you follow me there as well?" Chu Yuan narrowed his eyes.

"Protecting the Emperor is my sacred duty," Shangguan Yun replied.

[Choice One: Act as though you do not see him and allow Shangguan Yun to continue following you. Reward: one hundred Destiny Points.]

[Choice Two: Issue an Imperial Decree immediately commanding Shangguan Yun to withdraw. Reward: one hundred Destiny Points.]

"Withdraw at once!"

Chu Yuan issued a stern command.

"Ding! The host has selected Choice Two. Awarded one hundred Destiny Points. Total points remaining: one thousand five hundred."

"His Imperial Majesty has spoken! General Shangguan, you must withdraw immediately to avoid the Emperor's fury with your blatant disrespect!"

Eunuch Wei, a veteran of two reigns, could tell by observing Chu Yuan’s demeanor that the Emperor was far from pleased.

"These are the instructions of the Grand General. Military orders are as heavy as mountains and cannot be ignored. Unless this servant is dead, Your Majesty will have to excuse me."

Shangguan Yun, the nephew of Shangguan Qingyun, had been tasked with monitoring every movement of the Emperor. Since the Emperor held almost no real imperial authority, why would he bother to obey?

[Choice One: Instruct Shangguan Yun on the higher truths—that the Emperor's will is supreme and his loyalty should belong to the throne rather than the Grand General. Educate him to earn one hundred Destiny Points and achieve the 'Eloquent Persuasion' feat. Note: Equipping this ability increases persuasiveness and allows one to dominate others with words.]

[Choice Two: Since he seeks death, grant it to him. The majesty of the Emperor is sacred; those who defile it must perish. When the ruler demands a subject's death, the subject must die. Reward: one hundred Destiny Points and the 'Emperor's Majesty' achievement. Note: Equipping 'Emperor's Majesty' increases intimidation by ten percent.]

Chu Yuan shook his head. Lecturing him on morality was a waste of time; the only solution was his demise.

"Shangguan Yun, you are bold, yet it seems you have lost sight of who I am—your Emperor."

Chu Yuan looked at him with indifference. "You refuse to break a military order but ignore my Imperial decree. Since that is your choice, death is the only path left for you."

"What? You intend to execute me?" Shangguan Yun’s face flickered with a hint of surprise. "I am a colonel of the Forbidden Army. Even the Emperor cannot execute me on a whim!"

He held little respect for this young, second-generation emperor. Even the fiercely loyal Divine Martial Hall had been decimated, and most of the remaining forces were under the Grand General's thumb.

"I am the Emperor of Great Wu, your sovereign, your very sky. If I decree your death, you die!"

Chu Yuan, a fourth-level Soul Refiner wielding the Human Emperor Sword, possessed power equivalent to a fourth-level Yuan Spirit. This Shangguan Yun was merely a first-level Yuan Spirit.

The Human Emperor Sword was unsheathed, triggering the Great Thunder Technique. An overwhelming, terrifying imperial pressure crashed toward Shangguan Yun.

Thud!

Unable to withstand the force, Shangguan Yun collapsed to his knees. His eyes wide with dread, he cried out, "Your Cultivation level!"

"I sentence you to death."

With a single sweep of the Human Emperor Sword, Shangguan Yun’s head was severed instantly. A spray of blood arched over the flowers and greenery, creating a macabre scene.

His fallen head bore an expression of terror, bitterness, and utter disbelief.

A Colonel of the Forbidden Army and a first-level Yuan Spirit had been decapitated in one blow.

Gazing at the corpse, Chu Yuan’s face remained mask-like. Though he was a transmigrator, he had merged with eighteen years of this world's memories, experiencing them as his own, and thus understood the brutal laws of this land.

Instead of horror, he felt a surge of adrenaline, a sensation akin to bloodlust.

In this world, strength is honored—the powerful are the true kings!

Without power, even an emperor is disregarded by others.

As the ruler, he would not permit Shangguan Yun to behave so arrogantly in his presence.

The Grand General and his subordinates could all follow him to the grave.

An emperor must possess the resolve to slaughter anything that stands in his way!

"Ding! The host has made a choice and beheaded Shangguan Yun. Awarded one hundred Destiny Points and the 'Emperor's Majesty' achievement. Remaining Destiny Points: one thousand six hundred."

The melodic voice of the system echoed in his mind.

In a way, Shangguan Yun had been quite useful.

By offering up his life, he had provided Chu Yuan with two hundred Destiny Points and the 'Emperor's Majesty' achievement.

"Eunuch Wei, clean this up. Send Shangguan Yun’s head back to the Grand General and inform him that I personally executed him."

Chu Yuan raised an eyebrow, gave the body a final, disinterested look, and started walking toward the Divine Martial Hall.

He remembered that he still possessed a random draw from when he first activated the Destiny Choice system.