202: Chapter 202 A stunningly beautiful and aloof woman! That damned bastard~

"Absurd! This is called a punishment? Going to the Extraterritorial Battlefield might even allow one to earn military merit, and after a hundred or eighty years, they'll be back. How is that any different from a vacation?"

"Official shielding official! This is blatant favoritism!"

The audience was cursing, and the crowd was incensed.

The live stream was even more chaotic, with the screen flooded by barrage comments, making it impossible to see the footage.

"I'm disgusted. This is called a punishment? Raising it high and letting it fall gently, right?"

"Understood, those in the Return to Void Realm are superior, so they don't have to pay with their lives even for murder and arson, right?"

"Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng is indeed a dog of the Gongmen Family; this shielding is just too obvious!"

"Even the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation has spoken, and this is how it's handled? The upper echelons of the Human Race are truly rotten to the core!"

Countless viewers were filled with righteous indignation and were extremely dissatisfied with this result.

Consultant Wu was also stunned for a moment, and then felt happy in his heart.

He had originally thought he would at least have to abolish part of his cultivation, but he didn't expect it to be just guarding the border for a thousand years.

Although the Extraterritorial Battlefield is dangerous, with his Return to Void Realm cultivation, as long as he doesn't run into a large-scale beast tide, there is basically no danger.

Moreover, the Gongmen Family will definitely operate behind the scenes, and it won't be long before they can transfer him back.

This punishment looks heavy, but in reality, it's no different from a scratch.

He immediately lowered his head, putting on a guilty look, and said in a deep voice: "Chief Referee Ruan is right. This matter was my own doing and has nothing to do with others. I just couldn't stand this junior being arrogant and domineering because of his background, and I made a mistake in a moment of confusion. I am willing to accept the punishment, go to the Extraterritorial Battlefield to guard for a thousand years, and make up for my crimes."

He was very tactful, taking all the blame directly upon himself without mentioning Gongmen Xiuzhu at all.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng nodded with satisfaction, just about to announce that this matter was closed and let the tournament continue.

But just at this moment, Zhou Liangan suddenly laughed.

The laughter was very soft, but it carried a bone-chilling mockery, clearly spreading throughout the entire venue.

"Good, what a 'making up for crimes'." Zhou Liangan looked at Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng, his eyes full of sarcasm. "To shield each other to this extent, it has really opened my eyes."

He raised his hand to point at the spell seal in mid-air, and then pointed at Consultant Wu: "A Return to Void Realm Cultivator, in the highest-standard Human Council Tournament, publicly cursing a seeded contestant to death with conclusive evidence, and the result is just a penalty of guarding the border for a thousand years? It seems the rules of the Human Race are only useful for bottom-tier Cultivators, and for people from your big families and big forces, they are just empty shells?"

"Today he can send someone to curse me to death, tomorrow he can send someone to curse other Prodigies he doesn't like to death. Anyway, even if caught, it's nothing more than taking a stroll to the border, completely unharmed." Zhou Liangan's voice grew colder. "Is the sky of the Human Race this dark? Can't even provide a fair competition? Then what is the point of holding this Human Council Tournament? Might as well just rank by Family power, why compete at all?"

These words were resonant and struck the hearts of countless ordinary Cultivators.

The cursing in the arena grew louder, and many Loose Cultivators joined in the shouting, demanding a heavier sentence and a strict investigation into the mastermind behind the scenes.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's expression sank completely.

She didn't expect Zhou Liangan to be so disrespectful, actually confronting her in public.

She was already panicked because of the phantom of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation, and now being accused by Zhou Liangan in public and scolded by countless viewers for shielding, a burst of anger rose up.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng clenched her delicate fists, her beautiful eyes narrowed, and the Aura of the third stage of the Return to Void Realm erupted without reservation, pressing fiercely towards Zhou Liangan.

"Presumptuous!" she shouted sharply. "This matter was the sole doing of Wu Tao, and I have already punished him according to the law. He is a great expert of the Return to Void Realm and a backbone force for the Human Race to resist foreign enemies; killing him would be a loss for the Human Race. Punishing him to go to the Extraterritorial Battlefield to kill enemies can both punish the wrongdoing and contribute to the Human Race. What is wrong with that?"

She stared at Zhou Liangan, her tone cold and hard: "Zhou Liangan, don't push your Luck! Relying on the protection of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation, you dare to act recklessly in the arena and question the tournament's ruling? Do you really think I dare not deal with you?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

On one side was the tournament supervisor at the third stage of the Return to Void Realm, and on the other was the dark horse Prodigy backed by the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation.

Everyone held their breath, watching the two confronting each other in mid-air, their hearts tightening.

Things seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.

The white jade spectator stands were filled with Cultivators who had rushed from various Star Domains of the Human Race, but at this moment, they all tacitly fell silent, countless gazes nailed to the center of the high platform, even their breathing unconsciously softening.

At this moment, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng was feeling stifled by Zhou Liangan's words, her delicate body trembling slightly.

Her hands hanging at her sides were clenched into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms, bringing a sharp pain, before she could barely suppress the urge to strike on the spot.

Zhou Liangan naturally felt the terrifying killing intent on Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng. Standing on the high platform, facing the opponent's gaze that seemed ready to devour him, not only did he not have the slightest fear, but he chuckled instead.

The laughter was very soft, carrying a bit of careless playfulness, yet it passed through the venue's amplification Formation and clearly reached everyone's ears.

He slowly raised his eyes, swept across Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's tense Face, his tone unhurried, yet every word hit the critical point: "What? Is there a problem with my words? Gongmen Xiuming deliberately attacked and injured someone, aiming to destroy the person's Dao Foundation, with conclusive evidence, both human and material evidence present. Yet, when it comes to you, Chief Referee Ruan, it becomes raising it high and letting it fall gently, and just fining some Spirit Stones to end it."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Faces with different expressions under the high platform, his voice suddenly deepening a bit: "I would like to ask, is it just because this person is a Consultant of the Gongmen Family, a person from a Half-Emperor Family, that they can be spared from the rules? If so, then what are the countless Human Race elites leaving their homes to guard the front line of the Extraterritorial Battlefield for? Is it to protect the elites of these Half-Emperor Families, letting them enjoy privileges safely in the rear, and wantonly bullying ordinary people?"

As the words fell, the discussion under the platform instantly grew louder, washing over the entire venue like a tide.

"I said it wasn't right just now!"

"Sigh, they are people from the Gongmen Family, what can we ordinary people say..."

"Zhou Liangan is right! The ones fighting on the front line are ordinary people, and the ones enjoying blessings and privileges are the great families. What kind of logic is this!"

The discussions grew louder and louder, mixed with dissatisfaction, anger, and long-suppressed resentment.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's expression became increasingly ugly.

She knew she couldn't let Zhou Liangan continue; if he kept inciting like this, the public sentiment would be chaotic, and her position as Chief Referee would be over.

She slammed the referee jade table in front of her, a crisp "snap" sound suppressing the noise below the platform.

She gritted her silver teeth, her voice as cold as winter ice shards: "Stop being presumptuous! You are currently disrupting the order of the Human Council Tournament in public and grandstanding; I am officially warning you according to the rules. If you refuse to mend your ways, I will immediately cancel all your qualifications for this Human Council Tournament and ban you for life."

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng brought out the tournament rules and used the lifetime ban as a threat, certain that Zhou Liangan would back down.

After all, the Human Council Tournament is the best upward path for young Cultivators of the Human Race. Once they win the championship, they can directly enter the Human Council and ascend in one step.

She didn't believe this unknown kid would be willing to give up such a great Opportunity.

But when Zhou Liangan heard this, the mockery on his Face became even stronger.

"Discuss later? Go through the appeal process?" He shook his head, as if he had heard a huge joke, his tone full of disappointment and coldness, "After the tournament ends, the heat dies down, and the appeal is submitted, it will be pushed around layer by layer, and in the end, it will just sink into the sea without any results! Chief Referee Ruan, we are all sensible people, there's no need to say these polite words."

He took a step forward, his Aura gradually spreading, his voice resonant, carrying a deafening power, reaching every corner of the venue: "What is the situation of the Human Race now? Foreign races outside the territory knock on the gates every year, the front line is in emergency, and every day Cultivators die in the starry sky. Among those soldiers, there are Family disciples, but more are ordinary Human Race Cultivators. They use their lives to guard the territory and guard their families behind them. But what is the result? The privileged families in the rear act domineeringly, can't even guarantee fairness in the arena, and when a scandal breaks out, they only think about shielding and covering it up."

"If this continues, it will only chill the hearts of our Human Race Cultivators! If people's hearts are scattered, who will be willing to kill enemies on the Extraterritorial Battlefield with peace of mind? Are we to rely on these pampered Family disciples who only know how to bully their own people?"

These words were resonant, and many Cultivators under the platform had red eyes. Many people present had relatives and friends serving on the front line, and some had fathers, brothers, or teachers who died at the hands of foreign races.

Zhou Liangan's words were like a key, opening their long-repressed emotions.

Some clenched their fists, some whispered in agreement, and their eyes looking at Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng on the high platform slowly changed from initial awe to dissatisfaction.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's heart sank, knowing that the situation had begun to spiral out of control. Her eyes sharpened, and she was about to call the guards under the platform to come up and forcibly take Zhou Liangan down.

But just at this moment, Zhou Liangan suddenly took a second step forward.

"Boom—"

A dull, loud noise exploded in everyone's ears like thunder.

A majestic, heavy, and incomparably dignified Aura suddenly erupted from Zhou Liangan, sweeping in all directions with him as the center.

Cultivators who were close only felt as if their chests had been hit by a giant rock, and they were instantly unable to breathe. Those with low cultivation staggered back several steps, their Faces turning deathly pale.

The next second, everyone looked up in horror at the Void Realm behind Zhou Liangan.

They saw nine Golden Dragons of Fortune, entirely gilded, slowly unfolding behind him, intertwining and circling in mid-air.

The dragon bodies wound for dozens of zhang, each dragon scale shimmering with gentle yet dignified golden light, dragon whiskers floating, dragon eyes dignified and indifferent, dragon mouths slightly open, emitting waves of Golden Dragon pressure that made people's spirits tremble.

That pressure did not target the Physical Body or cultivation, but aimed directly at the Divine Soul and Origin, carrying an innate nobility and orthodoxy, as if the Heavenly Dao will of the Human Race had descended into the mortal world.

"Nine... nine Golden Dragons of Fortune?!"

In the crowd, a knowledgeable old Cultivator shouted out, his voice full of disbelief, even trembling.

Ancient Human Race texts clearly record that the Golden Dragon of Fortune is the embodiment of the orthodox Luck of the Human Race, and only those who bear great Luck can condense it.

One Golden Dragon represents a hero of the people, three Golden Dragons can suppress a Star Domain, and five Golden Dragons represent a Supreme of the Human Race.

From ancient times to the present, even the sages who founded the prosperity of the Human Race had condensed at most seven Golden Dragons.

But now, behind Zhou Liangan, there were actually nine Golden Dragons of Fortune circling?!

On the high platform, the blood on Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng's Face instantly faded away, her hands and feet were cold, and even her breathing stalled for half a beat.

She stared fixedly at the nine lifelike Golden Dragons, a chill deep into her bone marrow rushing from the soles of her feet to her crown.

Golden Dragons of Fortune, nine of them... This is the image of a Human Emperor!

Zhou Liangan stood under the nine Golden Dragons, his black robe blown by the airflow, fluttering loudly.

A trace of coldness flashed in his eyes, he raised his eyes to look at Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng who was standing frozen in place, his tone calm, yet carrying unquestionable imperial dignity, every word hitting people's hearts like a heavy hammer: "I am the Emperor of the Human Race. If you do not give the Cultivators of the world an explanation today, and insist on shielding each other and favoring the privileged families, I will definitely not spare you."

[part:gemini-3.5-flash]

The six characters, "I am the Emperor of the Human Race," carried by the amplifying Formation and the interstellar live broadcast signal, instantly spread to every single planet across the entire territory of the Human Race.

Dead silence fell over the entire venue.

It took a full three breaths of time before a mountain-toppling, ocean-surging uproar erupted across the venue. Gasps of shock, heated discussions, and voices of doubt mingled together, nearly bringing down the roof.

"The Human Emperor? He says he is the Human Emperor?!"

"How many years has it been since the Human Race last had a Human Emperor?"

"But those nine Golden Dragons of Fortune cannot be faked! Luck is something that cannot lie!"

"My god... I actually witnessed the descent of the Human Emperor with my own eyes?"

The interstellar live broadcast room erupted into complete chaos.

The already dense stream of bullet comments exploded instantly, with packed text completely covering the screen. From the core Star Domains to the remotest planets, countless Cultivators watching the broadcast stood up, staring intently at their screens with Faces full of shock.

The staff backstage at the broadcast watched the wildly spiking data stream and hurriedly reinforced the Formation, terrified that the stream would crash.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng stood where she was, her entire body trembling slightly.

She clenched her teeth so hard they nearly shattered, her heart filled with a mixture of hatred and fear.

She wished she could strike immediately and tear this bastard, who had utterly humiliated her, limb from limb, but she did not dare.

Her gaze subconsciously swept toward the clouds on the eastern side of the venue.

There, a wisp of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation's split soul floated quietly, shrouded in a faint mist. From the start of the tournament until now, she had remained completely still, like a mere bystander.

But Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng knew better than anyone that this split soul had been watching the entire venue.

If she actually dared to suppress the Human Emperor by force, the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation's split soul would obliterate her Divine Soul on the spot, without Zhou Liangan even having to lift a finger.

The Ancient Emperor had spent her entire life protecting the orthodoxy of the Human Race; anyone who dared to strike at the Human Emperor would become the public enemy of the entire Human Race.

Yet, she also did not dare to handle Gongmen Xiuming impartially.

The Ruan Family was merely a second-rate Family; they only enjoyed their current status because they relied on the Gongmen Clan.

If she dared to severely punish Gongmen Xiuming today, it would be a public slap to the Gongmen Clan's Face. Once the tournament ended, the Gongmen Clan would be the first to target the Ruan Family.

Caught between the pressure of the Ancient Emperor and the orthodoxy of the Human Emperor on one side, and her Family's backer and personal interests on the other, Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng was stuck in the middle, unable to back down.

Her back was already denched in cold sweat, and her lips were pressed so thin they had turned pale; she could not utter a single word.

From the VIP seats on the western side of the venue, Gongmen Xiuzhu took in this entire scene.

A bone-chilling cold light flickered in his eyes, and his murderous intent surged outward without any attempt at concealment, causing even the surrounding air to drop a few degrees.

He swept his cold gaze over Zhou Liangan on the high platform, his lips curling into a cruel and disdainful arc as he muttered to himself, "Interesting. Quite a stubborn bone who doesn't fear death, daring to break ground on Tai Sui's head."

Gongmen Xiuzhu was the leading figure of his generation in the Gongmen Clan, firmly ranking among the top three of the Human Race's younger generation, and had always been incredibly arrogant.

Zhou Liangan's words just now were equivalent to slapping the Gongmen Clan in the Face in front of the entire Human Race. How could he possibly stomach this?

As if sensing his gaze, Zhou Liangan turned his head and swept his cold eyes over.

Their gazes clashed in midair, instantly sparking invisible fire.

Looking at Gongmen Xiuzhu's lofty, overbearing attitude, Zhou Liangan's eyes were as cold as ten-thousand-year ice: "Today, the Human Race is in chaos and has been declining for a long time! Privileged families are deeply entrenched, monopolizing resources, trampling on rules, and leaving the Foundation of the Human Race riddled with holes. Though all are citizens of the Human Race, some risk their lives to defend the borders while others enjoy privileges in the rear. This is utterly unfair to ordinary people."

Hearing this, Gongmen Xiuzhu scoffed. With a flash of his body, he appeared on the high platform in the next second, standing beside Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng.

Lifting his chin, he glared arrogantly at Zhou Liangan, his tone filled with a sense of entitlement: "Fairness? There has never been absolute fairness in this world. My ancestors shed blood for the Human Race and achieved peerless feats. My Family's Old Ancestor still guards the front line today, holding back a million-strong foreign army. As a descendant of my ancestors, what is wrong with me enjoying a little harmless privilege?"

He paused, taking a step forward with a pressuring Aura, his words laced with venomous malice: "As for you, a wild kid who popped out of who-knows-where, who knows what kind of evil sorcery you used to conjure a few gold dragon phantoms to dare pose as the Human Emperor? Using this as an excuse to sow discord and incite the people, I think you are simply a spy sent by the foreign races, intentionally here to disrupt the internal order of the Human Race!"

As soon as these words were spoken, another massive uproar broke out below the stage.

Cultivators who came from influential families or relied on the Gongmen Clan nodded in agreement one after another, feeling that Gongmen Xiuzhu made sense.

The Gongmen Clan had guarded the front lines for generations; their contributions were plain to see, so it was only natural for their descendants to enjoy some comfort.

On the other hand, Zhou Liangan's identity was unknown, and he had targeted the Gongmen Clan right from the start, which indeed seemed highly suspicious.

However, even more ordinary Cultivators and Loose Cultivators from humble backgrounds did not buy it.

"The ancestors have merit, but that doesn't mean Gongmen Xiuzhu has merit! Why should he use his ancestors' achievements to secure privileges for himself?"

"Exactly! The Gongmen Family isn't the only one fighting on the front lines. Why should they get to be superior to everyone else?"

"It was clearly Gongmen Xiuming who violated the rules and injured someone. How did that become sowing discord? Is it wrong to speak the truth?"

Both sides held onto their arguments, bickering endlessly, and the venue descended into complete chaos.

These arguments and taking of sides also spread across the entire territory of the Human Race via the interstellar live broadcast.

Official accounts of major families and top Sects joined the fray one after another, posting messages to support Gongmen Xiuzhu. They emphasized the Gongmen Clan's contributions to the Human Race, claiming that Family privileges were a natural extension of ancestral merits and entirely justified.

At the same time, they questioned Zhou Liangan's identity, demanding an immediate thorough investigation and severe punishment for posing as the Human Emperor and disrupting the tournament.

Yet, the ordinary Cultivators and commoners, who made up over ninety percent of the Human Race's population, all stood on Zhou Liangan's side.

They had long been fed up with the oppressive privileges of the influential families. Top-tier resources were monopolized by these families, the path for upward mobility was blocked, and even basic fairness had become a luxury.

Every single word Zhou Liangan stood up to say today struck a deep chord within them.

"Support the Human Emperor! Abolish privileges! Return fairness to the Human Race!"

"The soldiers on the front lines bleed and sacrifice themselves, not so that the children of influential families can lord it over everyone!"

"Ancestral merits cannot be used as an immunity shield! Gongmen Xiuming must be severely punished!"

Countless bullet comments flooded the screens, and countless people voiced their support on the Star Net.

An invisible, majestic power of belief gathered from every corner of the Human Race's territory, crossing the starry sky and flowing continuously into Zhou Liangan's body along an unseen connection.

Zhou Liangan clearly felt this power.

The nine Golden Dragons of Fortune behind him became increasingly solid and robust at a speed visible to the naked eye, growing more than twice as powerful as before.

The golden light on the Dragons' bodies grew more dazzling, their dragon might became heavier, and even the low roars of the Dragons faintly echoed in the Void Realm, shaking the minds of all who heard it.

Zhou Liangan's heart stirred slightly, feeling a bit surprised yet also somewhat understanding.

Today, he had originally wanted to use this matter to warn the influential families and win over the hearts of the common people.

But he never expected that the response from the public would be so intense, and the Luck boost it brought would be so terrifying.

He understood in an instant.

The so-called Luck of the Human Emperor was never innate, nor was it passed down through Bloodline or Legacy.

Wherever the hearts of the people aligned, there lay the Human Emperor.

The recognition, support, and expectations of millions of ordinary members of the Human Race were the most fundamental and majestic source of Luck.

The Gongmen Clan had been entrenched for thousands of years, seemingly possessing overwhelming power, but they had long lost the hearts of the common people. He had merely punctured this thin layer of paper and reaped such an enormous gift.

At this thought, Zhou Liangan's gaze became even more resolute.

Standing beneath the golden dragons, his figure was as straight as a pine, and the majesty of the Human Emperor around him grew stronger and stronger. Even the white jade high platform beneath his feet faintly glowed with a soft golden halo.

In the VIP seats not far away, Cang Meier sat quietly, her beautiful eyes fixed on the figure on the high platform, her expression carrying a hint of complexity and gravity.

Cang Meier gently stroked the rim of her jade cup with her fingertips, her mind filled with mixed emotions.

There was appreciation, admiration, and also a trace of worry.

She sighed softly, her gaze falling back onto the center of the high platform.

At this moment, the atmosphere on the high platform had completely frozen.

Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng stood in the middle, caught in a dilemma, fine beads of cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.

She looked at the arrogant and eager-to-strike Gongmen Xiuzhu, then at Zhou Liangan, who possessed an incredibly powerful Aura and profound majesty, and felt an immense headache.

She could not afford to offend either side, so she could only freeze in place, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

The other referees and Family representatives present also lowered their heads, pretending not to see, as no one was willing to step forward to smooth things over.

This water was too deep; one careless move could drag them in, and no one wanted to draw fire upon themselves.

Seeing that Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng remained silent for so long, Gongmen Xiuzhu's expression darkened.

He had originally thought Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng would obediently stand on his side and take down Zhou Liangan, but he hadn't expected her to be so useless, completely losing her nerve over just a few words.

He cast a cold glance at Chief Referee Ruan Yufeng, no longer bothering to rely on her.

He lightly stretched his wrists as his Return to Void Realm Aura slowly rose, clearly intending to take matters into his own hands.

In his eyes, whatever Golden Dragon of Fortune or Human Emperor there was, it was all illusory.

As long as he crippled Zhou Liangan on the spot and labeled him a foreign spy, today's matter could be completely put to rest.

As for the split soul of the Ancient Emperor of Reincarnation not far away, Gongmen Xiuzhu was not afraid at all, because he also carried a split soul of his ancestor.

Of course, Gongmen Xiuzhu simply did not know how terrifying the Ancient Land of Reincarnation truly was; if he had actually experienced the Divine Might of the Ancient Land of Reincarnation, he would never have dared to be so insolent.

Sensing the surging murderous intent coming from him, Zhou Liangan did not show the slightest hint of fear; instead, his lips curled into a cold smile.

He was just worrying about not having an Opportunity to establish his authority. If Gongmen Xiuzhu dared to strike first, it would be the perfect chance to make an example of him, showing the entire Human Race the consequences of defying the Human Emperor and trampling on the rules.

In midair, the nine Golden Dragons of Fortune seemed to feel their master's Battle Intent, circling faster and faster, their golden scales shining brilliantly as the low dragon roars echoed continuously in the Void Realm.

The clamor below the stage gradually quieted down.

Everyone held their breath, watching the two confronting each other on the high platform with tension, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

On one side was the Genius powerhouse of a Half-Emperor Family, and on the other was the newly emerged Emperor of the Human Race.

Everyone knew that this conflict had long exceeded the scope of the tournament's refereeing.

This was a clash between the humble and the influential families, a confrontation between the people's will and privilege, and a fork in the road for the future direction of the Human Race.

The wind blew in through the cracks in the roof, carrying interstellar dust, brushing past Zhou Liangan's robes and Gongmen Xiuzhu's tense profile.

For a moment, the entire venue, and even the billions of living beings watching the broadcast across the entire territory of the Human Race, fell into an eerie silence.

Gongmen Xiuzhu took a step forward...