Chapter 66 Turbulent Times

After dealing with Sea Emperor Hai Wuya, Emperor Cao Xukun took Li Tieniu and the Dragon Clan squad, heading straight for the Deep Sea Coral Valley.

This place was completely different from the bloody battlefield outside; colorful corals were layered and spread out like a seabed forest, glowing jellyfish with long tentacles danced through the sky, schools of various sea fish darted about, and a faint floral fragrance drifted through the clear seawater—it was truly a fairyland on earth.

"Damn, this place is absolutely incredible!" Li Tieniu widened his eyes. "If I had known the Mermaid Race lived in such a nice place, I would have come here long ago!"

"You haven't seen the world." Emperor Cao Xukun rolled his eyes at him, and just as he finished speaking, the surrounding seawater suddenly fluctuated violently.

Countless Mermaid Race warriors holding coral spears surged out from the coral thickets, surrounding them, each with vigilant eyes and arrows nocked on their bows.

The white-haired old woman leading them, leaning on a pearl cane with a face full of frost, shouted sternly: "Humans! This is the forbidden land of the Mermaid Race, leave immediately! Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite!"

[Ding! Detected two females with purple luck: Eldest Princess Ling Xi and Second Princess Ling Yao of the Mermaid Race.]

[Identity: Orthodox heirs of the Mermaid Race, possessors of the Deep Sea Sea God bloodline.]

[Cultivation: Late Nascent Soul Stage (can fight against early Spirit Severing Stage with bloodline enhancement).]

[Favorability: 0 (Guarded).]

[Special Bonus: If both submit, the complete water-element divine ability can be unlocked, and any offspring born will definitely have twin purple luck!]

Emperor Cao Xukun's eyes lit up; it was indeed not a wasted trip. He put his hands in his pockets, not even lifting his eyelids: "I am Emperor Xuan of Great Xuan, Emperor Cao Xukun. Sea Emperor Hai Wuya has been beheaded by me, and the entire East Sea is now under the jurisdiction of Great Xuan. I have come today to have the Mermaid Race submit."

"Submit? In your dreams!" The old woman sneered, thumping her cane on the ground. "Our Mermaid Race has lived in the deep sea for generations and has never submitted to anyone! Even that trash Sea Emperor Hai Wuya couldn't make us bow our heads, and you, a human emperor, think you deserve to?"

"Exactly!" A Mermaid Race elder echoed from the side. "If you are sensible, get lost quickly, otherwise we will summon the Deep Sea Giant Demon and tear you all to shreds!"

Li Tieniu was so angry he rolled up his sleeves: "Hey! You don't know what's good for you, do you? Sea Emperor Hai Wuya has already been tossed to feed the fish by our Emperor Xuan; you small-fry aren't even enough to fill the gaps between our teeth!"

"You're courting death!" The old woman shouted angrily, raising her hand to summon sea beasts.

Just then, two stunningly beautiful figures slowly swam out from the coral palace.

The elder sister, Eldest Princess Ling Xi, was dressed in a white gauze dress, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall, with a blue cinnabar mark between her brows, her temperament as cold as ice; the younger sister, Second Princess Ling Yao, wore a pink gauze dress, styled with playful twin tails, her eyes as lively as a little deer. The two stood side by side, breathtakingly beautiful, truly the ceiling of beauty in the deep sea.

"Great Elder, stop." Eldest Princess Ling Xi's voice was cold and pleasant. "Sea Emperor Hai Wuya is dead; there is no need for us to remain enemies with Great Xuan."

"Princess!" The old woman was anxious. "Humans have always been cunning; they just want to use us!"

"Use you?" Emperor Cao Xukun sneered, waving his hand, and the sea god pearl floated in mid-air, emitting a soft blue light. All the Mermaid Race warriors instantly felt a pressure coming from the depths of their bloodlines; their spears clattered to the ground as they involuntarily knelt down.

"I have the sea god pearl, and also the complete inheritance of the Sea God." Emperor Cao Xukun said indifferently. "When Sea Emperor Hai Wuya was alive, he forced you to hand over a hundred boys and girls every year to sacrifice to the Sea God, robbed you of your pearls and corals, and slaughtered villages at the slightest disobedience. Submit to Great Xuan, and I will abolish all harsh taxes; the Mermaid Race will enjoy autonomy, and I will also send a naval force to protect you, open up maritime trade, and let your specialty products be sold to the Central Plains."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd: "Whether you want to live a good life with me or continue hiding in this deep sea in fear, you choose for yourselves."

The members of the Mermaid Race looked at each other, their eyes full of hesitation. They had been bullied so miserably by Sea Emperor Hai Wuya all these years that the conditions Emperor Cao Xukun offered were simply like a pie falling from the sky.

The old woman, however, was still unwilling to give up; she secretly took out a black conch from her bosom and blew it hard.

"Oooooo—!" A low conch sound echoed, and a heaven-shaking roar came from the depths of the seabed. A hundred-zhang-long Deep Sea Giant Demon opened its bloody mouth and lunged towards Emperor Cao Xukun.

"You don't know what's good for you." Emperor Cao Xukun didn't even move, just lifted a finger. A golden dragon aura shot out, instantly piercing the head of the giant demon. The giant demon let out a miserable scream, crashed heavily onto the seabed, twitched a few times, and then breathed its last.

The old woman was scared pale and turned to run. Emperor Cao Xukun waved his hand casually, and an invisible force pinned her in place: "Considering you are an elder of the Mermaid Race, I will spare your life. If you dare to cause trouble again, Sea Emperor Hai Wuya will be your fate."

Eldest Princess Ling Xi and Second Princess Ling Yao looked at each other, their eyes full of admiration. They had long been fed up with Sea Emperor Hai Wuya's cruelty; Emperor Cao Xukun was not only powerful but also benevolent and generous, a hundred times, a thousand times better than Sea Emperor Hai Wuya.

The two stepped forward simultaneously and bowed gracefully: "Eldest Princess Ling Xi and Second Princess Ling Yao of the Mermaid Race are willing to lead the entire clan to submit to Great Xuan and pledge allegiance to His Majesty, Emperor Xuan!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Emperor Xuan! We are willing to submit!" All the Mermaid Race warriors and elders knelt and saluted, their voices echoing throughout the entire Coral Valley.

[Ding! Successfully conquered the two females with purple luck, Eldest Princess Ling Xi and Second Princess Ling Yao!]

[Reward obtained: Faith blessing of the entire Mermaid Race! Complete water-element divine ability—Vast Seas Flowing Across!]

[Reward obtained: Cultivation skyrocketed! Only half a step away from the mid-stage of the Void Refinement Stage!]

A pure water-element divine power surged into his body, and Emperor Cao Xukun felt as if he had merged with the entire ocean; with a single thought, he could stir the waters of the four seas. He raised his hand and waved gently at the sea surface, and a ten-thousand-zhang-high water wall rose from the ground and then slowly fell back down, its power astonishing.

"Good!" Emperor Cao Xukun nodded with satisfaction and reached out to help the sisters up. "From today on, you belong to me, Emperor Cao Xukun. In the future, whoever dares to bully the Mermaid Race is going against me, Emperor Cao Xukun."

Eldest Princess Ling Xi and Second Princess Ling Yao's faces instantly flushed red; they lowered their heads, not daring to look at him, their eyes full of shyness.

Li Tieniu leaned over, winking and making faces: "Emperor Xuan, your romantic luck is too strong! You conquer wherever you go, and this time it's a buy-one-get-one-free deal—double the purple luck, what a massive profit!"

"Basic operation, don't be surprised." Emperor Cao Xukun looked calm, but he was blooming with joy inside. "Pass down the order: the Mermaid Race will retain its original structure, Eldest Princess Ling Xi will be appointed as the Patriarch of the Mermaid Race, and Second Princess Ling Yao will assist. Leave five thousand men from the naval force to garrison the Coral Valley and protect the safety of the Mermaid Race."

"Understood!"

The setting sun shone through the sea surface, casting a golden glow. Emperor Cao Xukun stood in front of the coral palace, accompanied by the sisters Eldest Princess Ling Xi and Second Princess Ling Yao, with the bowing and submitting Mermaid Race behind him.

The last force of the East Sea had submitted, and the entire Four Seas were completely incorporated into the territory of Great Xuan.