Clad in dragon robes, Diwu Bufan walked with a majestic dragon's stride and tiger's gait, exuding an imposing aura.
His hair and beard were dark black, his complexion ruddy and full. From a distance, he looked like a blazing fire, brimming with boundless vitality.
Yet upon closer inspection, age had begun to creep into his majestic eyes.
"We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"
The four God-rank weapon wielders present lowered their noble heads one after another.
Diwu Bufan was the Emperor of Rakshasa Country, the sun of the common people.
He was also the strongest God-rank weapon wielder in Rakshasa Country today.
"Rise." Diwu Bufan waved his sleeve, exuding the haughty arrogance befitting an emperor.
For years, he had been secluded in cultivation, ignoring administrative affairs.
Yet power remained gripped tightly within his hands.
"Your Majesty, Divine Descent has just slain the Saber Demon. Your Majesty possesses a body worth ten thousand pieces of gold; if you engage recklessly, we fear it might harm Your Majesty's sacred dragon frame," Prince Dingyuan tentatively advised at this moment.
Naturally, in his heart of hearts, he wished for nothing more than: *Go right ahead and deal with Divine Descent, Your Majesty, while I cheer from the sidelines.*
Still, he had to feign dissuasion.
At the same time, he also wanted to know what confidence His Majesty actually possessed.
A sharp glint flashed in Diwu Bufan's eyes. "A mere Divine Descent. Failing to personally suppress it a century ago was truly a regret in My heart. This time, We shall intervene in person!"
The God-rank weapon wielders present hurriedly offered flattery.
Yet deep down, none of them took it seriously.
This Diwu Bufan just loved to save face.
Diwu Bufan continued, "We have learned from visitors beyond the heavens that Our Rakshasa Country shall endure for thousands of autumns and myriad generations—one reign, two reigns... unto ten thousand reigns.
"As for the coincidentally revived Divine Descent, it is nothing more than the fleeting glow of a firefly."
As early as a century ago, he had colluded with visitors from beyond the heavens, accelerating the fall of Divine Descent.
Those visitors held a book titled the *Book of Qingshan*.
Diwu Bufan referred to it as a book of prophecy.
The *Book of Qingshan* had recorded that Divine Descent would revive, but it too would be only a momentary flash of brilliance.
Naturally, he would not reveal any of this to these God-rank weapon wielders.
Seeing the four God-rank weapon wielders exchanging glances, seemingly hesitant, a trace of disdain flashed deep within Diwu Bufan's eyes. "A century ago, Divine Descent fell before the siege of the gods, but in truth, it fell to the dark light spirit.
"That is a substance made specifically to corrupt divine artifacts.
"Any divine artifact that touches it gathers dust, loses all divine power, and is reduced to a mundane object."
Accompanying Diwu Bufan's voice, a droplet-like liquid appeared before everyone's eyes.
Azure, translucent, radiating a perilous aura.
At the sight of this droplet of liquid, the four God-rank weapon wielders showed wary glances and backed away one after another.
Although the dark light spirit only targeted divine artifacts, each of them possessed an ordinary divine artifact for self-defense.
If their divine artifacts were tainted, their combat strength would plummet.
Back then, they had harbored suspicions about the fall of Divine Descent; now, seeing the dark light spirit, everything made sense.
"Divine artifacts... even a state-guarding divine artifact, must serve Our purposes! If it cannot be used by Us, it should be severed!" Diwu Bufan's voice thundered majestically.
The hearts of the God-rank weapon wielders tightened. They knew Diwu Bufan's words carried a warning directed at them as well.
After all, Diwu Bufan had neglected state affairs for so many years; these God-rank weapon wielders had all engaged in little schemes to varying degrees.
Now, faced with Diwu Bufan's reprimand, these God-rank weapon wielders understood that they had to bleed some wealth.
Prince Dingyuan hastily lowered his head, wearing an expression of deep guilt. "This time, this official retreated without fighting in Dingbo Province. My crime deserves ten thousand deaths. I am willing to offer up the *Huntian Secret Scripture*."
Diwu Bufan nodded.
The white-faced old man said hoarsely, "To extend my lifespan by cultivating the Wood Vitality Art, over the past ten years in Xianyun Province, behind Your Majesty's back, this official secretly imprisoned the commoners under my jurisdiction and gouged out the livers of one hundred and twenty thousand people.
"This official has wronged the common people, and wronged Your Majesty even more. I am willing to present the Wood Vitality Art along with the Ten Thousand Livers Pill."
A look of satisfaction appeared in Diwu Bufan's eyes. "You have not wronged the common people under your rule; you have only wronged Us. As for your transgression, We pardon it."
Power is accountable only to the source of power.
In this world, where was a subordinate ever punished by a superior for offending commoners?
Even if punished, it was only because the previous affair had impinged upon the superior's interests.
For the most part, punishment was meted out solely for offending one's superior.
The others also admitted their wrongs one by one, surrendering their interests.
...
"This time, I shall travel across all twelve provinces of the realm."
Qi Yuan's voice was calm.
To role-play Divine Descent, he needed to travel across the realm and let all commoners know that it had returned.
Only then would the role-play progress rise rapidly.
In the end, he would single-handedly slay all enemies who stood in his path.
That should just about complete the role-play of Divine Descent.
The yarn-washing crone looked at the excessively young man before her, awe filling her eyes.
"This old body is willing to accompany Young Master across the magnificent rivers and mountains of Rakshasa Country!"
After Qi Yuan had slain the Saber Demon last time, the yarn-washing crone had hurriedly pursued him and pledged her allegiance.
In her view, Divine Descent had yet to fully revive and was still lying dormant, which was why Qi Yuan took temporary control to unleash such terrifying power.
However, since Qi Yuan wielded Divine Descent, he was the master of the Council of Judgment—the being to whom she owed allegiance.
Qi Yuan shrugged. Looking through the carriage window at the vast Xianlong Commandery, he closed his eyes.
Instantly, countless voices flooded his ears.
Or rather, flooded into the ears of Divine Descent.
"O God, save my poor, miserable child!"
"I have already given birth to three daughters! When will I ever have a son?!"
"Damn it, if the God of Judgment truly returns, how are we supposed to rake in money?!"
"Die, hurry up and die, all of you go die! If my life is awful, none of you get to live well either!"
"I hope everyone can love one another, and that hard work is rewarded."
"What God of Judgment bullsh*t? How could it actually revive? It must be rumors spread by those unruly rabble!"
"Help! God, save me!" A woman was being violated, crying desperately for help, only to attract even more men to join in.
Voices of every kind poured incessantly into Qi Yuan's ears.
They were rife with the twisted malice of human nature, yet also contained truth, goodness, and beauty.
Through these voices, he also saw a mother holding her frail daughter.
The girl was on the verge of death, her tattered hemp garments in shreds, exposing much of her skin.
Her exposed flesh was covered in ulcerations and pustules that inspired disgust and terror.
Yet her mother still clutched her tightly.
Suddenly, a flash of light shone.
The pustules and ulcers on the frail girl vanished, leaving her skin rough but healthy.
A look of overjoyed shock appeared on the mother's face. She hurriedly fell to her knees, kowtowing and worshiping. "God!"
Alas, all that answered her was a single, cold and majestic divine voice: "You need not kneel to Me."
On the other side, a flash of divine light suddenly burst across the vicious men and the women aiding their wickedness, instantly killing them all.
Inside the carriage, a complicated expression surfaced in Qi Yuan's eyes. "Indeed, I am not a qualified arbiter.
"If Divine Descent were here, their crimes would not warrant death."
Even so, Qi Yuan had consumed divine power to strike those people dead.
As Chen Kangbao put it, the young master was soft-hearted and couldn't bear to see such things.
Meanwhile, with Qi Yuan performing miracles this time and responding to hundreds of prayers, more and more people in Xianlong Commandery raised their heads toward the sky with devout expressions.
As time passed, more and more people took to the streets.
There were elderly, children, and youths—people of every age.
Minor clerks, tavern waiters, nightsoil collectors, weavers, farmers—people of every profession.
Some dressed in ragged hemp, others in fine silks and satins.
They gathered together.
With devout expressions and solemn faces, they shouted, "Divine Descent!"
A boundless sea of people densely packed together—enough to inspire awe in anyone, and strike terror into certain hearts.
If they united as one with a single will, in a low-magic, spiritless world, they would be enough to make rulers tremble with fear.
Watching this scene, Qi Yuan remained calm inside, ripples barely stirring in his heart.
Still, since he was role-playing Divine Descent...
Then...
Let a miracle manifest once more!
Suddenly, rain began to fall over Xianlong Commandery.
This rain was like a sunshower, a shower of starlight, descending like fireflies upon every commoner who had stepped onto the streets.
Many wore dazed expressions, which quickly morphed into fanatical fervor, shock, and delight.
"This is a divine boon!"
"A divine boon!"
Many commoners extended their palms to catch the starlight rain, or opened their mouths.
The raindrops fell upon their bodies and vanished in an instant, nourishing their flesh and replenishing their vitality.
Countless people were swept into ecstatic delirium.
At this moment, the commoners' faith in Divine Descent reached a peak.
Qi Yuan's role-play progress also shot up rapidly.
Perceiving this, Qi Yuan remained serene. "We... should move on. Next stop, Cuixian Province."
...
"Grandfather, walk faster!"
"Sigh, Grandfather has a bag of old bones. I dare not walk fast."
"Grandfather, why didn't you tell me that Divine Descent is being controlled by Big Brother Qi?"
"How could I leak something like that? Heh heh, now that you know, are you surprised?"
"I'm very happy, but..."
"But what?"
"It's just that the God of Judgment represents absolute fairness and justice.
"Now that it is controlled by Big Brother Qi... do fairness and justice still exist?"
"Isn't he one of your Trial members? Why don't you trust him?"
"The person he was before, I trusted. But people change.
"Even if it were me, if I suddenly obtained a divine artifact like Divine Descent and became the realm's supreme powerhouse, what would I become? Even I don't know.
"Power bewitches the mind most of all. I hope... Big Brother Qi will choose not to wield Divine Descent."
"You... speaking like that is very blunt and presumptuous."
"I know. But the God of Judgment I believe in is a God of Judgment of fairness and justice, not a God of Judgment held in a single person's hands." Liu Chudong's gaze was firm. "Even if Big Brother Qi kills me in anger, I will have no regrets!
"I am willing to play the villain. I only hope Big Brother Qi can remain true to his original heart... a little longer.
"Without one's original heart keeping watch, how can the power of Divine Descent remain fair and just?"
"Oh, you..." Liu Sheng's eyes were complicated.
Toward this granddaughter of his, he truly didn't know how to dissuade her.
...
Three months passed like flowing water.
Across all twelve provinces of Rakshasa Country, traces of Divine Descent were left behind.
Everywhere it arrived, Divine Descent left behind miracles.
Slaying evildoers, healing the sick and weak, upholding justice, righting unfair grievances.
Qi Yuan truly lived up to the words: "Wherever injustice lies, call upon Divine Descent."
Showers of starlight formed from divine power fell like rain, adding fresh vitality to this world.
All the common people grew devout, even fanatical.
Certain opportunists even dreamed of inciting the populace to riot, overturning the existing order and entrenched interests so that they could become the new rent-seeking class.
All of this was thwarted by Qi Yuan.
He was role-playing Divine Descent, but he had no desire to become an artificial intelligence trapped in one place.
Granted, theoretically speaking, his departure might count as "reluctantly letting cherished wishes be swept downstream," yet "others will surely come to write a new chapter."
For now, he was doing his best to role-play Divine Descent.
As for what came after, he would deal with it when the time came.
Along the way, clever and sharp-witted commoners discovered Qi Yuan's carriage and began following it of their own accord, growing in number by the day.
That spectacle filled Qi Yuan with emotion.
Though he considered himself lawful good and counted as a decent person, he was far from a "hero." After all, though law-abiding he was selfish, though not reckless he loved female beauty, and though socially anxious he acted on impulse.
Divine Descent could bear all this reverence, but he could not.
Later on, no more commoners followed his carriage.
"Ahead... is the Royal Capital of Rakshasa Country."
The yarn-washing crone looked at the towering city walls ahead, deep memories surfacing in her eyes.
Back then, it was in this very city that she had drawn her sword and slain the Third Prince.
This city held so much of her sorrow and mourning.
"This is the most prosperous place in Rakshasa Country, the most glamorous and dazzling, but also the darkest and foulest."
The yarn-washing crone's voice was slightly hoarse.
Qi Yuan looked toward the royal capital ahead, his expression calm.
Indeed, the yarn-washing crone was right.
The royal capital was truly different from other places.
For instance, in the other provinces, whenever people learned that Divine Descent was about to arrive, throngs of commoners would gather beneath the city walls every day.
Beneath the royal capital's walls, there was not a soul.
As for the reason, perhaps the authorities had forbidden it, or perhaps the commoners were terrified.
Whatever it was, Qi Yuan didn't care in the slightest.
Divine Descent, as an AI-like existence, felt no rage.
Qi Yuan was a gamer who merely enjoyed the gameplay; he didn't care about any of this.
"Let's go. Into the royal capital, to kill that old geezer of an emperor!"
Qi Yuan's gaze was placid.
He had killed many people.
Terrifying powerhouses who ruled entire realms, life-devouring extraterrestrial demons, Yang Gods who gnawed away at innate worlds... yet he had never killed a genuine emperor.
As a Blue Star native, how could he not possess a rebellious bone in his body?
If you didn't kill an emperor in a game, did you even deserve to play it?
In mythological legends, the Great Sage rebelled openly; Erlang Shen rebelled in secret; and Nezha helped whoever was rebelling.
These deities had all become Qi Yuan's Divine Infants; it would be weird if Qi Yuan didn't have a rebellious streak.
Just then, a mounted troop of men in brocade robes suddenly rode toward them.
Their leader wore a gray robe embroidered with gold thread. His face was beardless, and he wore a haughty, arrogant expression.
Qi Yuan glanced at them and saw not a shred of fear in their eyes.
He couldn't help but reflect that no matter how useless an emperor was, he would always have a cadre of loyal deathsworn retainers.
Raise retainers for a thousand days, use them in a single moment.
The horses halted. The gray-robed middle-aged man spoke, an authoritative look in his eyes.
"Is Your Excellency Young Master Qi Yuan, the one who wields Divine Descent?"
"What do you want with my young master?" Chen Kangbao poked his head out, his face full of curiosity. "Is that old geezer of an emperor looking to surrender or something?"
"Insolence!" the gray-robed middle-aged man barked furiously before continuing, "Qi Yuan, you defy the laws of the realm and show no respect for royal authority! Go to the palace at once and present Divine Descent to His Majesty, and your capital crime may be spared!"
Qi Yuan watched this unfold, his eyes calm. "Alright, got it. Can't be bothered wasting words on a bunch of NPCs like you."
He decided that in a moment, he wouldn't say a single word before killing the old geezer of an emperor.
No need to give these NPCs too many lines.
Chapter 533