The Emperor's face instantly turned pale, and large beads of sweat seeped from his forehead. He said with a trembling voice, "Ancestor... Ancestor, please calm your wrath! I still have three thousand taels of gold in my personal treasury; I'll have someone bring it all over right away!"
Allen snorted coldly, casually crushing the gold bar in his hand into a gold coin: "Such a large Neon, and only three thousand taels of gold?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately knelt and kowtowed, crying, "Ancestor, you don't know, but in the days you've been away, the Prime Minister has taken power. Xiao Ren has suffered so much these past few years; even the guards in the palace don't have a single firearm. I beg Ancestor to uphold justice for me."
Allen looked at the Emperor, who was kneeling on the ground, weeping bitterly, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly: "Oh? So, you've been greatly wronged these past few years?"
The Emperor raised his head, his face covered in snot and tears: "Ancestor, please see clearly! Those cabinet ministers don't put me in their eyes at all, they even embezzle military funds!"
Allen calmly took a sip of tea: "So, you want me to help you regain real power?"
The Emperor nodded repeatedly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes: "As long as Ancestor is willing to help me, I am willing to offer the entire national treasury! No, I am willing to offer the entire country, just so Xiao Ren can experience what it feels like to wield real power."
"Hahahahaha." Allen laughed loudly, putting down his teacup. This was exactly the effect he wanted to achieve. He wanted to turn the people from the Baki and Demon Slayer worlds into his own forces. As for the ultimate rulers of each world, Allen had already decided, but for now, the time spent in the Demon Slayer world was limited. He could only control Neon first and then plan slowly.
Allen put down his teacup and looked at the Emperor, who was prostrating on the ground, with a half-smile: "Xiao Ren, you're quite good at taking advantage of the situation."
The Emperor's forehead was pressed tightly to the ground, his voice trembling: "Ancestor, please see clearly, Xiao Ren just wants to share Ancestor's worries."
"That's enough." Allen waved his hand.
"Get up and speak."
The Emperor shakily got up, but still dared not meet Allen's eyes. Allen noticed that the hem of his luxurious kimono was already soaked with cold sweat.
"Useless." He made his own assessment in his mind. However, it was precisely this kind of useless person that Allen needed; all he wanted was an obedient tool.
"You want real power, right?" Allen said unhurriedly.
"I can help you, but the price is not small."
A fervent look flashed in the Emperor's eyes: "As long as Ancestor is willing to act, Xiao Ren is willing to bear any price!"
Allen chuckled lightly: "Don't be so quick to agree."
He stood up and paced in the bedchamber: "First, I want you to understand one thing: from now on, Neon will forever be my territory."
"That is natural!" The Emperor quickly agreed: "You are my Ancestor, so this entire Neon naturally belongs to Ancestor!"
"Secondly..." Allen slowly turned around, his crimson eyes looking directly at the Emperor: "I will grant you eternal life."
The Emperor trembled all over, looking up in disbelief: "E-eternal life?"
"That's right." Allen nodded: "Just like Muzan, become an immortal and unaging demon."
There was a dead silence in the bedchamber, even breathing could be heard clearly. The Emperor's expression changed constantly, clearly engaged in a fierce internal struggle.
Allen observed his changing expression with interest: "What? Scared?"
"No, no." The Emperor swallowed: "It's just, if I become a demon, won't I be unable to see the sun?"
"I have my own methods. Not only can you stay in the sun like a normal person, but you also won't need to eat humans; you can sustain your needs just by sleeping."
When the Emperor heard Allen's words, his eyes widened, and his breathing stopped for a moment. He asked with a trembling voice, "Ancestor, are you serious? Can I really live in the sun like a normal person?"
Allen calmly picked up his teacup and took a sip: "What, do you think I would lie to you?"
"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!" The Emperor quickly waved his hands, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead: "Xiao Ren just feels that Ancestor's divine powers are truly too incredible."
Allen put down his teacup with a soft clink: "Muzan and the others can walk in the sun now. How do you think I achieved that?"
Only then did the Emperor recall Allen's tone when he mentioned Muzan earlier, and he suddenly understood: "So Muzan has already been subdued by Ancestor!"
"Clever." Allen nodded slightly: "So, what is your decision?"
The Emperor took a deep breath, then suddenly prostrated himself on the ground, his forehead hitting the tatami mat heavily: "Xiao Ren is willing to serve Ancestor forever! Please, Ancestor, grant me eternal life!"
Allen nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, but before that, I need you to understand one thing."
The Emperor raised his head, his eyes full of anticipation: "Ancestor, please speak."
"After becoming a demon, your life and death will be completely in my hands." Allen's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Once you betray me, I will make your life worse than death."
The Emperor trembled all over and immediately kowtowed several more times: "Xiao Ren swears to be loyal to Ancestor for all eternity!"
Allen stood up and looked down at the Emperor: "Get up, and prepare to receive my blood."
The Emperor shakily got up, his legs still trembling slightly. He turned to the others in the bedchamber and shouted, "Everyone, leave! No one is allowed to enter without my command!"
After everyone had exited the bedchamber, Allen extended his right index finger, his nail lightly slicing across his left wrist. A small wound appeared, oozing a drop of dark red blood.
"Drink it." Allen offered his wrist to the Emperor.
The Emperor swallowed, carefully leaned forward, and, as if he had found a treasure, caught the drop of blood in his palm and licked it. In an instant, a burning sensation spread from his throat throughout his body. He painfully curled up on the ground, as if countless insects were wriggling under his skin.
"Ah--! Ah--!" The Emperor groaned in pain, writhing on the ground.
Allen watched all this with cold eyes: "The energy in my blood is very potent. Endure it; it will be over soon."
After about ten minutes, the Emperor's pain gradually subsided. He slowly got up from the ground, surprised to find that his vision had become exceptionally clear; he could even see the flickering of distant candlelight with perfect clarity.
Even more miraculously, he felt his body filled with strength, as if he had returned to his peak state at twenty years old.
"Is this the power of a demon?" The Emperor looked at his hands in disbelief.
Allen nodded: "That's right. From now on, you will forever maintain your current state; you will not age, and you will not get sick."
The Emperor was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes, and he prostrated himself on the ground again: "Thank you, Ancestor, for your grace! Xiao Ren will not fail you!"
Allen sat back at the tea table: "Now, let's discuss the specific plan."
The Emperor quickly moved closer, respectfully kneeling beside him: "Ancestor, please speak."
"First, tomorrow morning, you will begin to gradually reclaim real power." Allen said unhurriedly.
"I will have Muzan and the others assist you in secret. Within three days, I want there to be no dissenting voices in all of Neon, understood?"
A hint of worry flashed in the Emperor's eyes: "But those cabinet ministers..."
"Don't worry." Allen waved his hand, interrupting him: "Whoever dares to object, I will send Muzan to visit them. Either become a dog, or die."
The Emperor immediately understood Allen's meaning, and a sinister smile appeared on his face: "Xiao Ren understands."
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