147: Treaties? Those are just toilet paper; might makes right.

“No... no signing the treaty?”

The Yaochi Heavenly Palace fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

They stared blankly at the Youth in White Robes, who stood with his hands behind his back, looking completely unperturbed.

Their minds were left entirely blank.

Not signing the treaty?

Then what do you want to do?

Could it be... he really wants to... exterminate them all?!

“Lord... Lord Emperor...”

The Golden Ancestor King knelt on the ground, his entire body shaking like a sieve, his voice filled with endless fear and despair.

“What... what is the meaning of this?”

“Must you... must you really drive our myriad races to a dead end?”

“We... we truly know our mistakes! We won't dare do it again!”

He kowtowed frantically, his head nearly burying itself into the ground.

In that humble state, where was there even a hint of the dignity of an Archaic Ancestor King?

On the other side, the Human Race Saint Lords looked at each other, their hearts filled with confusion and... worry.

Quit while you're ahead!

The myriad races have already backed down and are willing to sign such a generous peace treaty; this is already a massive victory!

Why are you... still not satisfied?

If you really push these old monsters too far and they decide to go down fighting, wouldn't the losses outweigh the gains?

However.

Facing everyone's confusion and fear.

Li Daoxuan simply smiled.

He pointed at the pile of ash on the ground that was still emitting faint smoke, curled his lip, and looked on with disdain.

“This kind of scrap paper.”

“Even for wiping my ass, I'd find it too stiff.”

“...”

The entire venue was dead silent.

Everyone was stunned by his extremely... down-to-earth 'trash talk'.

“Peace treaty?”

Li Daoxuan sneered, his deep eyes scanning the room before settling on the bewildered Human Race Saint Lords.

That look was filled with unmasked... disappointment.

“Do you really think that by signing such a piece of paper, you can sleep soundly from now on?”

“Naive.”

“It is simply laughably naive.”

He shook his head, his voice suddenly turning cold.

“In this world.”

“Dignity is fought for!”

“It is not obtained through the charity of others, and certainly not by signing a piece of scrap paper that can be torn up at any time!”

“Today, because I am here, they can kneel and call you 'grandfather'.”

“But what about tomorrow?”

“What about when I am no longer here?”

“Do you think these beasts, who are filled with bloodlust and arrogance to their very core, will abide by this so-called 'treaty'?”

“They will only double down, using even more cruel and bloody methods to repay the humiliation they suffered today a hundredfold, a thousandfold, upon your descendants!”

His words were powerful and resonant!

Like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens, they struck hard at everyone's hearts!

The Human Race Saint Lords, who had still been clinging to their fantasies, instantly turned pale and broke into a cold sweat upon hearing these words.

Indeed... how could they have forgotten such an important matter?

Those not of our race are bound to have different hearts!

Talking about trust with a pack of man-eating beasts?

Wasn't that like negotiating with a tiger for its skin?!

“Then... according to the Great Emperor's view...”

A Human Race Saint Lord spoke with a trembling voice, “What... what should we do?”

“What should you do?”

Li Daoxuan smiled.

He turned around and once again fixed his gaze on the few Archaic Ancestor Kings who were already completely terrified.

That gaze was cold and filled with an unquestionable dominance.

“Want to live?”

“You can.”

“But, it won't be according to your rules.”

“Instead...”

“It will be according to my rules.”

As he spoke.

Under everyone's tense gazes.

Li Daoxuan slowly held up three fingers.

“First.”

“Reparations.”

“Since the end of the Mythical Era, how many times has your Ancient Myriad Races incited Dark Turmoils? How much of my Human Race's life essence and blood have you consumed? How many of my Human Race's Heaven And Earth Treasures have you plundered?”

“This debt shall be settled today.”

“I won't ask for too much from you.”

He paused and stated a number that almost caused everyone to have a heart attack on the spot.

“Each of your Imperial Clans must hand over half of your clan's heritage and resources as... compensation.”

“What?!”

“Half?!”

The eyes of the Golden Ancestor King and the others nearly popped out of their sockets.

That was the heritage they had passed down for millions of years!

He opened his mouth and demanded half?

Why don't you just rob us?!

Oh, wait.

He is robbing them right now... “What?”

Li Daoxuan raised an eyebrow, “Have an objection?”

“No... I wouldn't dare...”

The Golden Ancestor King instantly backed down, swallowing the words that were at the tip of his tongue.

Compared to the extermination of their race, bleeding out half their wealth... didn't seem entirely unacceptable?

“Very good.”

Li Daoxuan extended a second finger.

“Second.”

“Confinement.”

“From this day forth, for a hundred years, all Ancient Creatures must stay within your respective ancestral lands and reflect on your sins.”

“If anyone dares to step a single foot out of their ancestral land without permission...”

A flash of cold killing intent crossed his eyes.

“They shall be executed without mercy.”

“This...”

The expressions of the several Ancestor Kings shifted repeatedly.

Confined for a hundred years?

This was practically more painful than killing them!

But did they dare to say no?

They did not.

“Third.”

Li Daoxuan extended his final finger, the smile on his face becoming somewhat playful.

“Cession of territory.”

“I see that the ancestral lands of your Imperial Clans have quite good Feng Shui and abundant Spiritual Qi.”

“How about this.”

“Each clan shall carve out a 'core area' with a radius of a hundred thousand miles and hand it over to my Human Race.”

“In the future, those places will be our Human Race's... tourist attractions.”

“Our Human Race Cultivators can enter at any time... for visits, study, archaeology, and exploration.”

“You must not interfere.”

“...”

Quiet.

A deathly quiet.

After Li Daoxuan finished stating these three conditions.

Not a single sound could be heard throughout the entire Yaochi Heavenly Palace.

Everyone was stunned.

Whether they were Ancient Creatures or Human Race Cultivators.

They all seemed as if a freezing spell had been cast on them, staring blankly at the Youth in White Robes who stood with his hands behind his back, looking completely unperturbed.

Their minds were left entirely blank.

Ruthless!

Too ruthless!

This was ruthlessness taken to the extreme!

Reparations, confinement, and even... ceding territory?!

What kind of rules were these?

This was clearly intended to screw the Ancient Myriad Races to death!

This was to trample them underfoot so they could never rise again for all eternity!

“You... you...”

The Golden Ancestor King pointed a trembling finger at Li Daoxuan, his whole body shaking with rage, a mouthful of old blood stuck in his throat, unable to go up or down.

“Are you... trying to force us... to go down fighting?!”

“Go down fighting?”

Li Daoxuan smiled.

He slowly raised his hand, and that Fire Poker, which made everyone's blood run cold, appeared in his hand once again.

“I'm sorry.”

“With just you few salted fish, do you even think you're worthy?”

“The fish will die.”

He paused, a hint of world-dominating arrogance flashing in his deep eyes.

“But the net will not break.”

“...”

A single sentence.

It completely shattered the last shred of fantasy held by the Ancient Myriad Races.

The Golden Ancestor King and the others looked at the Fire Poker emitting a terrifying immortal pressure, and then at Li Daoxuan's face, which practically screamed 'fight me if you're not convinced'.

Finally... they accepted their fate.

At that moment, their heads, which had been held high with arrogance for millions of years, bowed deeply.

Their voices were hoarse and filled with endless... humiliation.

“We...”

“Obey... your command.”