The Peerless Emperor-Chapter 1139 - 1140: Benevolent Ruler and Tyrant

Wei Wushuang's thunder-fire sword qi pierced through the fierce wind blades of the Ming Chun Hall expert, striking directly at the opponent.
"Ah!" The Ming Chun Hall expert, feeling a chilling sensation that made his hair stand on end, sensed the crisis of life and death and instinctively retreated backward.
At the same time, the soul energy within him surged violently, bursting out from his body, transforming into a vortex of hurricane blades, and finally infusing into the greenwood long sword in his hand, spiraling around its blade, radiating a faint cyan glow.
The sharpness of the fierce wind was interspersed with glimmering starlight; the soul energy of a Soul Martial Artist who commanded the stars was imbued with star power. Even though the will had been wiped by Lin Qian, the soul energy within still contained the power of the stars.
A robust aura instantly gathered around him, and the Ming Chun Hall expert, with a grim expression, infused his primordial weapon, the greenwood long sword, with all the soul energy from within him.
He knew that at this moment of life-and-death crisis, if he didn't fight with everything he had, death would be imminent.
Even though he tried every means, exerting all his strength to resist Wei Wushuang's strike, it was ultimately in vain.
The greenwood long sword cleaved, with fierce wind like countless wind blades, turning into a hurricane of waves, sweeping forth.
Yet, the thunder-fire sword qi also tore through this immense power, ripping apart the curtain of fierce wind as a rain of countless sword qi, exploding violently beneath the thunder-fire's roar.
The Sanmei True Fire and Nine Mysterious Gang Thunder burst open, weaving into a net of thunder-fire in the air.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The deafening sound of explosions shook the surroundings completely, presenting an earth-shattering explosion above Huichun Star to the world.
The shock wave from the explosion swept across, its ripple visible to the naked eye radiating in all directions.
The scorching white circular storm continuously expanded, engulfing the Ming Chun Hall Soul Martial Artists near it, their bodies utterly obliterated before they could flee.
The Ming Chun Hall Soul Martial Artists not within the explosion's range were also affected by the shock waves, their internal organs churning as if being overturned.
Some with weaker cultivation felt dizzy and fainted, their meridians, dantian, and soul energy reversing and flowing backward, with blood seeping out.
Worse still, some were directly killed by the shock waves from the explosion.
As for the Wei family members who originally charged forward, they had already been warned by Wei Wushuang's soul consciousness transmission when he made his move, retreating en masse, concentrating their soul energy to resist, thus unaffected, yet looked on ahead with trepidation.
The strong individuals of Ming Chun Hall were completely annihilated by just one strike from Wei Wushuang, a terrifying feat.
"Your Hall Master of Ming Chun Hall on Huichun Star, five Vice Hall Masters, and thirty-five Elders all perished at my hands, Wei Wushuang. Your situation is dire; do you still intend to resist stubbornly?"
"Ming Chun Hall itself exploits you ruthlessly; is it worth your life to serve them so?"
Having dealt with the top experts of Ming Chun Hall, Wei Wushuang marveled at the formidable power of the thunder-fire bestowed by the skill jade, and shouted sonorously, his throat filled with soul energy, his voice resounding in all directions.
In midair, the Soul Martial Artists of Ming Chun Hall who were previously engaged in battle were dumbfounded upon hearing Wei Wushuang's words, too shocked to digest this information for a moment.
Meanwhile, the soul cannon aboard the Void Warship stationed in the void ceased its attack, with Qiang Yu and Qingyu halting their shooting.
The Red Rabbit Army and Breaking Formation Army also halted their assault, standing by observing the Ming Chun Hall army in the sky.
On Huichun Star, the Huaxia World Array's nine dragons roared mightily, intimidating the Ming Chun Hall army in the sky.
Now, the remaining forces of Ming Chun Hall's army were only about thirty percent of their original strength, each looking around in panic and fear.
Among them, only a handful managed to maintain their composure, while a small number glared with hostility at the Huaxia Empire forces in other directions.
Lin Qian's Celestial Sovereign body floated up, emanating a brilliant golden light, with illusory images behind him, containing numerous city-states, where people from all races walked, their faces beaming with happiness, moving back and forth.
The phantom of the Huaxia Empire's territory, projected into the void by Lin Qian's mind, was but a small part of the empire's national fortune, displayed in front of Ming Chun Hall's forces.
Not only the Ming Chun Hall army, but all people on Huichun Star saw it clearly.
"I am the ruler of the Huaxia Empire. If you are willing to surrender and swear a heart demon oath of loyalty to the Huaxia Empire, you may preserve your life and manage the Medicine Mountain and Medicine Garden for the empire."
"All it takes is a decade of sincere effort, after which you may become true citizens of the Huaxia Empire, enjoying numerous benefits."
"During these ten years, the Huaxia Empire will not oppress you. Those willing should prostrate with their hands raised high."
Lin Qian's tone was compassionate and kindly, like a benevolent ruler saving those in distress.
Yet the next moment, his voice was filled with intent of killing, with the sound of military might echoing.
"For those stubbornly refusing, kill without mercy. The Netherworld Clan's invasion is imminent, and a great war is about to unfold beneath the stars. I will not tolerate any destabilizing elements!"
To surrender and live or to die rather than surrender, the choice lay before everyone.
Yet, the human populace of Huichun Star nearly unanimously prostrated on the ground, hands raised high.
On the star itself, they held little status, driven by Ming Chun Hall, tasked with overseeing the Medicine Mountain and Fields, taxed eighty percent, retaining only twenty percent for themselves.
But in the golden light above, it was clearly written: during the first ten years of servitude to the Huaxia Empire, all harvests were to be handed over to the empire.
However, it was to be exchanged for soul crystals of equal value, with a fifty percent tax, three percent less than serving Ming Chun Hall.
Working steadily for the empire for ten years, paying down their crimes of resisting the empire, the tax would decrease another three percent, leaving only twenty percent!
If true, life on Huichun Star would indeed be transformed, especially considering the benefits, including residences with Spirit Gathering Arrays, clearly written above, even during the first decade.
Even a fool knew which choice to make, so they surrendered without hesitation.
The war between Ming Chun Hall and the Wei family was none of their concern; they were already the exploited ones.
For the Ming Chun Hall army in the sky, large numbers also prostrated in midair; given the chance for survival, who would choose death?
Especially since ordinary disciples in Ming Chun Hall inherently held low status, surrendering was no loss.
However, those high-ranking disciples within Ming Chun Hall were naturally unwilling to surrender.
They had previously resided at the level of exploiting others within Ming Chun Hall, and they would not willingly submit to being inferior to others, each pondering means of escape.
There were even some hesitating over whether to surrender or not.
But before they could decide, Lin Qian from high above had already spoken.
"To those who have not surrendered, kill!"