On this day, a solemn atmosphere filled the martial arts arena.
Su Ming's face was slightly pale as he stood holding his sword. His aura, which Early-Stage Mystic Immortal, fluctuated, indicating that he had consumed a great deal of energy.
Opposite him stood a young man clad in crimson-gold armor, his Qi and Blood like a dragon. He was Ye Qing, a powerful general under Xuanyuan Po Yuanpo, whose cultivation had reached the Late-Stage Mystic Immortal!
Surrounding them were several cultivators with extraordinary auras, forming a subtle encirclement. They were all followers of Xuanyuan Po, and the weakest among them was Mystic Immortal cultivator. Each of them was considered a prodigy in the outside world.
But the fact that they are all willing to follow Xuanyuan Po now is enough to prove Xuanyuan Po's strength and methods.
"Junior Brother Su Ming, why be so stubborn?"
Ye Qing's voice boomed like a bell, carrying an undeniable sense of pressure.
"Senior Brother Xuanyuan values your talent and wishes to recruit you into the Human Emperor Palace to jointly accomplish great things. This is an immense fortuitous opportunity. As long as you agree, you will have access to abundant resources and inheritances, far surpassing your arduous cultivation in the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace."
"And it would be even better if your Dao Child brother could come as well. Once Senior Brother Xuanyuan achieves the position of Human Emperor, we will reap immense benefits. The Taiyi can be attained, and the Daluo will not be difficult to achieve either!"
At this point, Ye Qing's eyes were filled with anticipation.
The Human Emperor Fortune isn't Human Emperor can enjoy alone; his followers will also reap huge benefits.
The so-called merit of following the dragon is nothing more than this.
It should be understood that even though they are all geniuses of the Human Race, the chance of achieving the Daluo through normal means is one in ten thousand.
hateful!
Su Ming cursed inwardly.
He had been tricked this time. He didn't want to participate in the struggle for the Human Emperor Fortune, but a senior brother from the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace was on Xuanyuan Po's side and had tricked him into coming here. If he didn't agree, he would have a hard time getting away.
"Thank you for your kind offer, but my strength is too weak, and I have no intention of following anyone at the moment, so I won't embarrass Senior Brother Xuanyuan."
Su Ming pursed his lips tightly, his eyes resolute.
Even if he were to become Daluo, he wouldn't need such external force.
Even if he were to achieve the Daluo status, his fate would be severely bound to the Human Emperor Fortune, which would impose too many restrictions, and he wouldn't be willing to accept that.
"Hmph! You don't know what's good for you!"
Ye Qing's face darkened; he felt that Su Ming was being ungrateful.
At the same time, I also felt a little jealous of the other person's talent.
Keep in mind that the opponent had only just entered the Mystic Immortal realm, yet he was already fighting him Late-Stage Mystic Immortal, to a standstill.
If the other party joins Xuanyuan Po's camp, his status might even decline.
Thinking of this, Ye Qing's Qi and Blood surged, and he threw a punch. The fist intent transformed into a roaring fire dragon, carrying the power to burn the sky and boil the sea, rushing straight towards Su Ming.
This punch went far beyond the scope of "sparring" and was clearly malicious!
Su Ming's pupils contracted sharply as he sensed a deadly threat. He activated his sword formation with all his might to defend, but anger was already rising in his heart.
Does he think he's easy to mess with?
Su Ming felt a chill run down his spine, just as he was about to reveal his trump card.
A sudden change has occurred!
The roaring fire dragon, less than three feet away from Su Ming, seemed to have crashed into an invisible and intangible barrier.
"Um?"
Ye Qing's expression changed drastically. He abruptly withdrew his fist and looked around in surprise and uncertainty.
A tall and imposing figure appeared.
"Senior Brother Xuanyuan..."
Ye Qing's expression changed drastically, and he immediately dared not continue his attack.
Su Ming was also stunned, wondering what the other party was up to.
Xuanyuan Po's appearance caused the atmosphere in the arena to change abruptly.
He was tall and handsome, with a dragon-like aura surrounding him, exuding an aura of imperial authority that commanded respect without anger.
At this moment, his brows furrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on Ye Qing, filled with obvious disappointment and slight anger.
" Ye Qing!"
Xuanyuan Po's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying an undeniable air of authority.
How do I usually teach you?
"If you are eager to find talented people, you should do so with sincerity and virtue, not by coercing them with power and resorting to such unreasonable and arrogant acts! Where do you place me? Where do you place the reputation of the Human Emperor Palace?"
His rebuke was righteous and stern, as if he knew nothing about Ye Qing's actions and deeply abhorred them.
Ye Qing's face drained of color instantly, and he hurriedly bowed, his voice filled with fear:
"Your Highness, please calm down! It was... it was my moment of haste. Seeing that Junior Brother Su was exceptionally talented, I was eager to recruit talents for Your Highness, so... that's why I acted too rashly. Please punish me, Your Highness!"
He adopted an extremely humble posture, taking all the responsibility upon himself, appearing as if he were loyal to his master but had used the wrong methods.
Xuanyuan Po snorted coldly, then turned his gaze to Su Ming, his anger instantly turning into gentleness and apology:
" Junior Brother Su, you've been frightened. It's my fault for not managing my subordinates properly, causing you to laugh at me and suffer injustice."
His tone was sincere, with just the right amount of self-reproach.
Su Ming looked at the sudden scene before him and his sneer intensified.
The two of them worked together seamlessly, one playing the good cop and the other the bad cop.
Without Xuanyuan Po approval or even authorization, would Ye Qing dare to so blatantly coerce this True Disciple of the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace?
When coercion failed, he immediately changed his tune, trying to move him with "sincerity" while also distancing himself from the situation and maintaining his upright image Xuanyuan Po.
"Your Highness, you flatter me."
Su Ming suppressed the sarcasm in his heart and calmly cupped his hands in greeting.
Since the other party is going to play the good guy, he might as well go along with it.
"Brother Ye is simply eager to find talent, and his methods are somewhat inappropriate, which I understand. However, my mind is made up; I do not wish to participate in the struggle for destiny and only wish to devote myself to cultivation. I hope Your Highness will grant my request."
His words both gave the other party a way out and reiterated his own position.
Upon hearing Xuanyuan Po's eyes, but his smile remained gentle.
" Junior Brother Su has lofty aspirations and is devoted to the Great Dao, which I greatly admire. Since Junior Brother has made up his mind, I naturally dare not force him, but..."
He slightly changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding eyes that had gathered, some drawn by the earlier conflict, others by his appearance. He raised his voice a few decibels, making sure many could hear him:
"What happened today was ultimately caused by one of my men offending my junior brother."
To express my apology and to ensure that Ye Qing learns his lesson, I will host a small banquet at the Human Emperor Hall three days later. This will serve two purposes: first, to apologize to Junior Brother Su, and second, to allow Ye Qing to personally toast and apologize to you.
Several like-minded individuals will also be present to discuss and exchange ideas.
I implore Junior Brother Su to grace me with your presence; otherwise, I will feel uneasy, and the outside world will likely say that I, Xuanyuan Po, am ignorant of etiquette and indulge my subordinates."
His words were perfectly flawless.
It expressed remorse while separating the "apology banquet" from the "battle of fate," highlighting "etiquette" and "external opinions," thus subtly creating a new kind of pressure.
If Su Ming doesn't go, it would be seen as disrespectful and ungrateful, and might even affect the relationship between the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace and the Human Emperor Palace.
Su Ming cursed inwardly that Xuanyuan Po was indeed much more troublesome than Ye Qing, and his methods were also more sophisticated.
This seemingly generous "apology banquet" was actually a carefully designed scheme that he found difficult to refuse.
If we go, it will inevitably involve other things.
"Say yes."
A voice suddenly rang in Su Ming's mind.
Su Ming was startled, but quickly realized that it was Han Xuanji who had sent him a telepathic message. Without hesitation, Su Ming agreed to the matter, though he was somewhat puzzled.