What followed was an expansion as rapid as it was inevitable. With an entire Royal Realm under his absolute control, along with the Three Ancestors Yama, Chi, Hun, and Gui now serving as loyal and monstrously powerful shadows, Ren Zu practically no longer needed to act personally most of the time.
In less than a month, the Yama Realm had already devoured nearly half of the entire Northern Divine Region.
The neighboring star realms, which had once existed in a delicate balance of power, began to fall one after another at a terrifying speed. Some chose to surrender immediately upon hearing the rumors about Ren Zu. Others attempted to resist… but ended up completely destroyed within minutes or seconds whenever he personally decided to intervene out of sheer boredom.
The greatest example of this was the Divine Python Realm, one of the three most powerful High-Level Star Realms in the entire Northern Divine Region. They refused submission without hesitation.
And all Ren Zu did was raise a finger.
The last thing the countless experts of the Divine Python Realm saw was a gigantic finger formed from blood-red flames descending from the heavens like the judgment of a god.
Then…
Everything disappeared.
The entire realm was instantly erased from the map.
After that day, Ren Zu's name began spreading across the Northern Divine Region like a completely uncontrollable wildfire.
He became known as the Fierce Demon Venerable, a title that inspired terror and reverence in equal measure.
Everyone in the Northern Divine Region understood the same truth:
That Fierce Demon Venerable had reached the absolute peak of that world. No other cultivator, realm, or great power could even be compared to him. Even the most powerful Royal Realms of the Northern Divine Region began to tremble at the mere mention of his name. Some sent emissaries carrying mountains of treasures, rare techniques, and women of incomparable beauty in a desperate attempt to gain his favor. Others chose to submit before the armies of the Yama Realm even reached their borders.
As for Ren Zu…
He remained completely indifferent to most of it.
At that moment, he sat atop the newly reconstructed Eternal Darkness Devil Palace.
Ren Zu silently observed the distant horizon while his crimson eyes reflected the gloomy glow of the Northern Divine Region's sky.
During the past month, he had plundered practically every resource he could find throughout the Northern Divine Region. Some were obtained through his absurd spatial manipulation, while others came from the countless realms that had been enslaved or forced to hand over all of their reserves in order to survive.
And that colossal accumulation of materials had only one objective: to refine a pill capable of elevating him to an even higher level on the profound path.
His newest creation was named the [Nine-Colored Ascension Pill].
A pill created entirely by himself, based upon the legendary [World-Defying Pill]. Its main ingredients were the [World-Defying Divine Marrow], which he had obtained in the Realm of a Thousand Desolations, and the [Absolute Beginning Divine Fruit], stolen directly from the hidden Absolute Beginning Divine Realm.
The [World-Defying Divine Marrow] was, essentially, a true divine object containing primordial energy. And primordial energy… anything associated with those words had always been regarded as sacred, supreme, and unattainable to ordinary mortals.
Beyond those two primary ingredients, he also added hundreds of divine herbs and countless treasures of the same level. Merely gathering those materials would already be impossible for practically any practitioner in this universe, yet he managed it through his spatial manipulation....
The complete refinement of the pill took seven entire days.
During that period, nine lights of different colors continuously illuminated the skies of the Northern Divine Region, while absurd celestial phenomena emerged around the Eternal Darkness Devil Palace.
And the results…
Were absolutely terrifying.....
Normally, a single [World-Defying Pill] was already capable of allowing someone to leap directly from the fifth level of the Divine Master Realm to the seventh level of the Divine Master Realm within only one year. But the [Nine-Colored Ascension Pill] existed on a completely different level. Upon consuming it, he managed to refine a significant portion of the Primordial Chaos existing within his own body. It was precisely this, combined with the monstrously vast energy contained within the pill, that triggered his meteoric rise. His profound strength advanced directly to the absolute peak of the Divine Sovereign Realm!
Ren Zu smiled faintly as he thought about the next step of his plan to increase his strength even further.
Until now, he had deliberately ignored the Heavenly Tribulations that should have descended when he advanced into the Divine Spirit Realm. However, that did not mean they had disappeared. The accumulated pressure of the Heavenly Way still remained there, silently waiting for the moment it would finally descend upon him. And he intended to use precisely that as an opportunity, directly absorbing all of that heavenly energy while analyzing its essence in an attempt to unravel the true secrets of the Heavenly Way of this universe.
But that could wait for now....
It was at that exact moment that a new presence approached.
The former king of the Yama Realm, Yan Tianxiao, entered the hall and quickly approached, stopping before him with his body bent in a deep bow. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately knelt on the ground. His face was slightly pale, while his eyes carried fear, reverence, and an almost fanatical admiration toward the existence before him.
"Venerable…" Yan Tianxiao's voice trembled slightly. "This humble servant has an important matter to report."
Ren Zu remained seated atop the Eternal Darkness Devil Palace without displaying any visible reaction. His crimson eyes glowed coldly as they stared at the former king kneeling before him.
"Speak."
Yan Tianxiao swallowed dryly as he felt the suffocating pressure naturally emanating from Ren Zu's body.
"The Burning Moon God Emperor, Fen Daojun, from the Burning Moon Realm, has personally come to visit the Venerable…"
For the first time since the beginning of the conversation, a faint trace of interest appeared on Ren Zu's perfect face.
"Fen Daojun?" He slightly raised an eyebrow. "What does that man want? I thought you had already declared war against the Burning Moon Realm and begun the attack."
Yan Tianxiao kept his head lowered, immediately responding with the utmost respect possible:
"And we did exactly as the Venerable ordered. However, at the very moment we went to declare war, Fen Daojun immediately expressed his desire to surrender." He hesitated briefly before continuing: "He stated that he wishes to personally negotiate his submission. The Burning Moon Realm intends to voluntarily surrender itself to the Heavenly Devil Divine Cult, offering all of its territories, resources, and absolute loyalty…"
A faint smile slowly appeared on Ren Zu's lips.
"Interesting… A Royal Realm surrendering without even fighting… It seems my reputation has finally spread far enough."
Then he rested his face against one hand and calmly spoke:
"Send him in."
Yan Tianxiao bowed even more deeply before quickly retreating to summon the visitor. A few minutes later, the enormous gates of the Eternal Darkness Devil Palace's main hall slowly opened.
Fen Daojun entered calmly. He was a man at the absolute peak of physical appearance, with long hair reaching down to his waist. His face possessed a mature and authoritative beauty, marked by sharp features and golden eyes carrying an almost arrogant confidence. He wore a dark crimson imperial robe adorned with golden details, while his entire body naturally exuded the aura of a sovereign accustomed to commanding countless lives.
Despite clearly trying to show respect, there was far too much arrogance rooted within his bones for him to behave in a truly humble manner.
And because of that…
He did not kneel.
Fen Daojun merely stopped at a safe distance from the throne before slightly lowering his head in a superficial bow, never once lowering his body to the ground.
Behind him, Yan Tianxiao almost immediately began sweating cold sweat upon seeing that scene. His heart raced with terror at the absurd boldness of the Burning Moon God Emperor.
Atop the black throne, Ren Zu calmly observed the newcomer with a completely indifferent gaze. Then, slowly, a sarcastic smile curved the corners of his lips.
"Fen Daojun… the famous Burning Moon God Emperor…" His voice came out calm, lazy, and filled with irony. "I heard that because of your lustful and disgraceful behavior, the Burning Moon Realm has stagnated for centuries. A ruler who prefers spending his days chasing beautiful women instead of expanding his territory… Your appearance is quite different from what I imagined."
Fen Daojun's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.
If anyone else had dared speak to him in such a manner…
They would have long since been reduced to ashes.
But before the Fierce Demon Venerable, he merely remained silent.
Above all else, Fen Daojun was an extremely cautious man. Before making any important decision, he always investigated everything meticulously, analyzing risks, advantages, and possible consequences until he was absolutely certain he possessed sufficient information. He never liked gambling without guarantees, much less taking unnecessary risks.
It was precisely that excessive caution that had allowed the Burning Moon Realm to survive for so many years within the chaos of the Northern Divine Region.
Of course…
His lustful behavior and obsession with women were equally famous, to the point of seriously tarnishing the reputation of his own Royal Realm. Yet despite that, no one had ever truly dared underestimate him.
Because behind that decadent image existed an extremely patient, cold, and calculating ruler.
And it was precisely that prudence that personally brought him here today.
Fen Daojun lowered his head slightly further, maintaining a respectful tone without completely losing the dignity of a God Emperor.
"There is nothing more tempting than power and sex to a man. This king may be the emperor of the Burning Moon, but his nature is that of a shallow mortal incapable of forgetting the pleasures of the secular world. This king knows he is incomparable to you, Fierce Demon Venerable....."
Ren Zu slightly raised an eyebrow, an amused and sarcastic glint appearing within his blood-red eyes.
"Oh…?"
He leaned slightly forward on the throne, the smile deepening with obvious mockery.
"I thought that little provocation would be enough to wound your pride and make you want to attack me. After all, you are a God Emperor. I didn't expect you to be so… sensible."
Fen Daojun let out a low and ironic laugh, without the slightest trace of genuine anger on his face. He slowly shook his head, as though amused by his own situation.
"Fierce Demon Venerable… this king is not foolish enough to fight someone who single-handedly subjugated the Yama Realm and destroyed a High-Level Star Realm with nothing but a finger. Your strength is currently unknown to this king... even standing before you, I cannot discern the level of your profound strength, and I only feel that I could die at any moment. Ever since I arrived, it feels as though a blade has been pressed against my neck... truly terrifying!"
His eyes met Ren Zu's without wavering, though cautious respect lingered within them.
"If I acted out of wounded pride, I would have died long ago. This king would rather live humiliated than die like an idiotic hero."
Ren Zu leaned back against the throne once more, letting out a light, almost bored sigh.
"Indeed… it seems you possess a brain after all."
He tapped his fingers against the armrest of the throne for a moment before continuing in a calm and direct voice:
"Then tell me, what exactly goes through your mind to accept surrender so easily? You know very well that once you submit, you and all your subordinates will become my slaves. There will no longer be any dignity as a God Emperor. Only absolute obedience."
Fen Daojun remained silent for a few seconds, as if organizing his thoughts. When he responded, his voice came out firm and without hesitation:
"In the face of absolute power, there is nothing one can do."
He took a deep breath before continuing:
"This king admits that he attempted to seek an alliance with the Devil Queen to stop the advance of the Yama Realm. At the time, we still did not know the true capabilities of the Fierce Demon Venerable. The Devil Queen seemed interested at first… but soon withdrew, saying she was not insane enough to die. This king did exactly the same. I chose to swallow my pride and come negotiate a surrender rather than watch my realm be erased from the map like the Divine Python Realm."
Fen Daojun bowed slightly deeper, maintaining a respectful tone:
"This king holds no illusions. Against the Venerable, resistance is suicide. Thus, I chose the path that guarantees the survival of my people and my realm… even if it means becoming a servant."
Ren Zu observed the kneeling man for a long moment, his crimson eyes analyzing every detail of his expression.
Finally, he smiled.
"A wise choice. Then it is settled. The Burning Moon Realm now belongs to the Heavenly Devil Divine Cult. I will plant my slave mark upon you, and later upon all your subordinates...."
At the end of his words, he indifferently raised his right hand. Without any ceremony, he pointed a finger toward Fen Daojun.
The slave mark shot forth like a black lightning bolt, directly piercing the forehead of the Burning Moon God Emperor before he could even react. The rune sank into his soul with excruciating pain, burning like searing iron and erasing any possibility of future betrayal. Fen Daojun let out a muffled groan, his body trembling violently for several seconds. When the pain passed, he collapsed to his knees, his forehead touching the cold floor of the palace in complete and subservient reverence.
"This servant… Fen Daojun… greets the Fierce Demon Venerable."
His voice came out hoarse, yet firm. The mark had functioned perfectly. There was no longer any rebellion left within his gaze, only absolute loyalty.
Ren Zu waved his hand, dismissing him as though it were something trivial.
"For now, return to your realm and prepare everything for complete integration. Soon, I personally will plant the mark upon all your subordinates."
Fen Daojun did not dare raise his head.
"As the Venerable commands."
He slowly stood up, still bent over, and retreated until he exited the main hall, disappearing through the palace corridors with hurried footsteps.
When the Burning Moon God Emperor left, Ren Zu leaned back upon the throne once more, his fingers lightly tapping against the black stone armrest.
"It seems things are resolving themselves almost on their own."
He looked toward the dark horizon through the palace's great window, his crimson eyes shining with unfathomable depth.
All that remained was dealing with a certain Devil Queen… and then becoming the Devil Emperor of the Northern Divine Region....
_________________
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