As Long Yuqing watched Ren Ye glare furiously, a gleam of golden light flashing from his body, fear actually welled up in his heart.
He truly was no longer the "stray dog" who had first entered Nine Li and been hunted into a corner by the Immortal Wave Sect. He was the sole victor of the Emperor's Tomb, possessed of mighty divine power and a Divine Prohibition Path Guardian. The terrifying pressure radiating from his body alone was enough to strike fear into anyone of the same grade.
Long Yuqing was merely an ordinary third-grade cultivator, and naturally could not withstand the faintly surging pressure following the awakening of the Human Emperor Bloodline. He immediately felt his soul tremble, and his legs began shaking involuntarily.
His life and everything he owned now lay in the Ancient Emperor Successor's hands. Naturally, he spoke in trepidation. "Brother Zhu! I don't want to be Nation Lord of the Immortal Wave Five Cities, much less hold power again. I just want to live... to take good care of Ling'er and every member of my family."
Ren Ye frowned at him. "Do you mean that?!"
"I do!"
Long Yuqing's voice trembled as he gritted his teeth and said urgently, "If the armies of the four cities can be made to withdraw... I... I'm willing to surrender Tide Dragon City's administrative and military authority, and relinquish all tax revenues from this place."
Seeing his frightened, timid expression, Ren Ye could not help shaking his head with a sigh. Then he asked in a much gentler tone, "Then what if... I raised you to the position of Five-City Nation Lord? Could you do it? Could you do it well?"
At these words, Long Yuqing was utterly dumbfounded. His eyes filled with confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Ah."