Chapter 2278 Fifty-Two Territories Summit
On top of a mountain peak, there was a huge congregation of powerhouses and experts.
From the cliff of the peak, a long stretch of pathway extended to the congregation. The mountain seemed to be carved into a square-faced land that was neatly tiled white. Pillars were stretching to the skies, dividing each compartment into tiers to accommodate the powerhouses according to their cultivation, and further across the square were other experts with lesser cultivations.
On the central platform sat many individuals. The undulations revolving around them were at the peak of this world, simply off-putting anyone who dared to view them for a long time.
On the western side sat the humans, the spirits on the north, and the magical beasts on the south. As for feys, there was no apex powerhouse to represent them.
"How long are we going to maintain this silence? Isn't the Fifty-Two Territories Summit precisely for us all to forget long-standing differences and unite to prosper? If it's going to be like this, how do you expect us spirits to be not wary about you two races?"
An icy-blue-skinned man with an icy crown on his head spoke up after seeing that the discussion wasn't moving anywhere. Even if someone spoke up, it was quickly shot down as they brought up past mistakes and accidents, giving no leeway and causing the discussion to come to a standstill.
"Frigid World Spirit Emperor, we are aware of your concerns, but there is too much bad blood between us and the magical beasts to discuss this in a fruitful manner."
The Karmic Guardian Emperor responded in a calm tone, causing the magical beasts' hearts to be incensed.
"Karmic Guardian Emperor, let's forget about the past. After this calamity, it became clear what we must do as the powerhouses of our respective races; bring about the resurrection of the covenant held between the Azure Dragon and Saintess Lunaria."
"…"
Everyone's expression changed as they heard the Mandate Emperor's words. Some reacted with astonishment, as though they weren't aware of such a thing, while a few magical beasts and spirits narrowed their eyes and descended into contemplation, seemingly recalling something.
But most of them looked clueless.
"What's that?" A member of the fey race seated on the southern side of the outer square couldn't help but ask.
The Mandate Emperor nodded to that person and answered.
"It is a covenant exchanged for peace when the Fifty-Two Territories didn't exist. Some ancient powers might have this record, but most have discarded it as a myth as millions of years passed. It's said that it was broken when the human race cracked into the righteous path and the wicked path in the west and south, while the spirits sealed themselves in the north, leaving the infighting humans to fend off the powerful magical beasts from the east by themselves, but don't get me wrong-"
He raised his hand, "I'm not sure of the specifics as I'm just reciting what's in my Heaven Mandate Temple's ancient records."
"Even if it were true, to us mortals, it may very well be a myth, but I would like to cite it again and unite under their once mythical names."
"Oooh~"
A wave of excitement and understanding spread amongst the four races, most of them wondering if that was true, yet couldn't help but imagine that it was true. After all, it was said that the Fifty-Two Territories was in a golden era when it was formed until it declined all the way till now, so the happenings before that truly intrigued them, also giving them hope, not for unification but reunification.
They would only have to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, after all.
"Does that covenant include spirits?" Another Spirit Ancestor couldn't help but ask.
"The covenant included all races, even feys who are looked down upon by most of us in this time and age, but back then, they were just as equals and treated courteously."
"…"
The feys couldn't help but cast a grateful glance at the Mandate Emperor.
They were looked down upon for their mixed blood, being called all kinds of insulting names but especially disrespected because they were told that they were not meant to be born into this world because most of them had their mothers violated by their fathers and given birth to be as a disgrace to their race instead of being born from love.
However, what wrong did they do to be treated as such, especially since the feys had declined for so long, their population becoming significantly lower than the three races?
After all, only feys were able to mate with feys, while if they interacted with other races, they would not be able to give birth until they became immortals.
"What about those terrifying yet mindless beasts that caused the cataclysmic destruction? Are they included in the covenant as magical beasts as well?"
Suddenly, someone from the human race couldn't help but sarcastically inject as they shot a look at the magical beasts.
"You-!"
The magical beast race was provoked when a lazy voice resounded.
"I wonder if those Vacuous Beasts can even be called a race, much less be considered a part of the magical beast race."
"Emperor of Death!!!"
Instantly, the entire congregation shot up to their feet, their gazes trembling as they looked at the purple-robed figure hovering in the skies with his hands behind his back. Their eyes further noticed the crimson-white robed man behind the Emperor of Death and the immortal undulations coming off of him, recognizing him as the Alstreim Family's Immortal.
It was said that he was the only immortal who stayed and fought instead of escaping like the others, as the projections displayed.
When even the Alstreim Family's Immortal was letting his family's youngster take the forefront, they were utterly convinced that the Emperor of Death was still the absolute hegemon of the Alstreim Family and the human race.
The humans who viewed through the projection knew of the Emperor of Death's mind-boggling feats. The spirits who saw the rumored evil Spirit Destroyer eradicate the Vacuous Beasts for them in their skies could never forget him, and the magical beasts who knew that he fought alongside their conviction, Fairy Myria, was a dazzling existence who well deserved their trust!
In this world, he eclipsed all geniuses who were meant to battle against the calamity, but the calamity was far more terrifying than they expected, leaving their apex powerhouses and geniuses useless. To be able to deal with that terrifying calamity with little support, they imagined that there was no one as strong as him, their gazes shining full of reverence and gratitude.
They saw the Emperor of Death and the Alstreim Family's Immortal descend to the cliff and walk along the pathway amidst countless experts and powerhouses before they finally took a step onto the central platform, sitting on the southern side.
"Greetings, Emperor of Death!"
The experts hit their heads on the ground, but the powerhouses not only stayed standing, but they all bowed ninety degrees, with some even going on one knee.
Davis shot a look at Lea and Ancestor Cornelia, who were seated near the Mandate Emperor and Karmic Guardian Emperor on the human race side. He couldn't help but shake his head, seeing that they were following the others in giving him respect when it wasn't required of them.
With a wave of his hand, his soul force flushed out and lifted all of them up, causing them to look at him. They were full of reverence for his righteous and heroic feats of saving the world and saving their families from the descending Vacuous Beasts.
After Davis indulged in Fiora and Mingzhi's intimacy for some more time, he left the Nine-Treasured Immortal Ordeal Palace. Appearing outside, he met up with Founder Alstreim and flew to this place, only to see why the talks weren't going smoothly.
"They have no souls, much less blood vitality like us."
Davis opened his mouth, continuing where he left off before he panned his gaze.
"I imagine a bunch of you went after their carcasses, blood essences, body parts, only to get your hands corroded, stomachs churned, some even exploding out of greed to become powerful."
Instantly, a few powerhouses like Mandate Emperor and Karmic Guardian Emperor displayed wry smiles while many dropped their heads.
Everyone was guilty of trying to plunder the resources that the Emperor of Death had killed.
However, they felt that it couldn't be helped, considering that the Emperor of Death just left those carcasses like that; left immortal resources abandoned on the surface, but it turned out to be poison and they got their retribution for it, further having some deaths in their ranks.
Davis's lips slightly curved in amusement before he turned to look at the powerhouse who brought about this topic.
"Do you have some kind of personal enmity with the magical beasts? If not, apologize to them right now."
That person shuddered with an uncontrollable intensity before his body bent ninety degrees, bowing toward the magical beasts.
"I, Twilight Physician Hall's Ancestor, offer my sincerest apologies to the entire magical beast race for my careless words!"
"…"
The magical beasts became dumbfounded at the swift response.
On the other hand, the Twilight Physician Hall's Ancestor felt cold sweat drenching his back as he could still feel the Emperor of Death's piercing gaze on him.
He possessed hatred against those Vacuous Beasts because, although his Territory hadn't been badly affected, his capital city and a part of the sect were destroyed.
Fortunately, his family had been away at that time, but still, many of the disciples and elders ended up dead.
Having nowhere to direct his anger, he had pointed his fingers at the magical beast like everyone else, but he didn't expect the Emperor of Death to arrive right as he uttered.
How could his luck be so bad? He couldn't help but inwardly curse, but he didn't dare retort or try to excuse himself and quickly bowed.
The Emperor of Death told him to apologize! Even if he had a valid reason to hate the magical beasts, he wouldn't dare point his fingers at them at this moment, afraid that he would invite a calamity when they had all just escaped one!