"There's still some hope to avoid war," the Sixth Elder said calmly. The immortals looked to him like a savior. He continued, "If we negotiate peace, we can prevent it."
"Negotiate?!" The immortals seemed baffled. "Peace with them? These unknowns from who-knows-where—would they leave without gain? And if the Immortal Realm surrenders, where's our dignity?" Yet, realizing their foe might be a god, they relented.
Emperor Ling frowned. "Elder, that's impossible. Their massive mobilization suggests they won't talk. Even if they do, the cost would be steep." He'd never felt so defeated. Hesitantly, he asked, "What if their goal is to invade?"
"What else? We'd yield the Immortal Realm," the Great Elder sighed.
"What?!" Chaos erupted in the hall. Ling, ashen-faced, sat dazed, muttering, "Must it come to this?"
The Great Elder surveyed them. "This is our final conclusion. It's the only path left. Their strength dwarfs ours—not by a little, but vastly."
He spoke truth, but discomfort lingered. Accustomed to freedom, who'd accept subjugation? Yet, no better ideas surfaced, and silence fell.
"Don't be so grim," the Great Elder said. "From our observations, surrender wouldn't cost much. If they wanted to invade, with their power, would they bother with this standoff? They'd have attacked already. Perhaps they have other goals, but none worse than we feared."
Seeing the immortals ponder, the Second Elder added, "No need to overthink. We'll meet them soon and learn their intent. Better than guessing here."
"What?" Ling snapped back. "Elders, you can't go! If they're as strong as you say, any mishap would be our greatest loss. Let me send others."
"Yes, the elders can't risk it!" others echoed, urging them to reconsider.
The Great Elder coughed. "Quiet. We've decided after careful study. We're not fools rushing into danger. This is settled. Let's discuss preparations."
The hall dove into planning for potential scenarios.
"Heh, interesting. They actually came." Amid my dalliance with my wives' soft, jade-like bodies, I sensed powerful energies from the Immortal Realm.
After deliberations, the immortals and elders resolved to visit the Sky Dragon Empire tomorrow to probe their intentions.
"Big Bro, they're here!" Alang's voice boomed before he appeared.
"I know." Does this guy's brain even work? With my powers, did he think I wouldn't notice?
Seeing me emerge, Alang relaxed. "Big Bro, those Immortal Realm geezers sent some tough old coots to negotiate. Ugh, how're we supposed to have a proper fight now?"
I nearly spat blood. This guy's itching for a brawl? "You're dizzy? I'm the one fainting!" I glared, seething inwardly.
"Fine, bring them to the hall," I ordered.
"Right!" Alang couldn't wait to bolt.
Outside, the Great Elder and his group studied the Sky Dragon warriors, inwardly shocked. Some soldiers surpassed even their own strength. This god's minions are freakishly powerful. If war broke out, these underlings alone could sweep the Immortal Realm without their leader lifting a finger.
Alang's arrival interrupted their thoughts. "Sirs, His Majesty invites you to the palace."
"Majesty?" The elders' hearts sank. They've already claimed this realm. The Great Elder sighed, resigned to the inevitable.
Dynastic shifts were forged in blood. Hoping to avoid that, the elders followed Alang to the palace, carved from massive crystal blocks. Never had they felt such trepidation, their mission tied to the lives of millions in both realms.
All journeys end. "Your Majesty, they're here," Alang announced formally, bowing to me atop the throne.
"Please, sit," I said, my voice commanding yet cordial. The elders, startled, reassessed me. They'd assumed a self-proclaimed god sat above, but my regal aura—honed over decades, not days—shattered that notion.
"Greetings, esteemed Majesty," the Great Elder began. "You likely know our purpose. To avoid senseless losses, we hope to calmly discuss a resolution." Clever old fox, probing without committing.
But I'm no novice. Their little games were transparent. Eyeing the tense elders, I munched a barbaric fruit. "Of course, I agree. Haven't you noticed my army hasn't harmed your realm? Oh, those earlier folks—you're not asking for them back, are they? They came to my door, you know."
The elders nearly choked. Blatant threat! "So far" implied future aggression. Tough opponent.
"No misunderstanding, I assure you," I added, noting their expressions. They're rattled.
The elders were stunned. This Majesty's sharper than us. The Third Elder sighed inwardly. New talents rise, old ones fade. Even my cunning might not outwit him.
Breaking the silence, the Great Elder coughed and bowed. "Your accent suggests you're not of this realm. May we know your origins and purpose?"
Trying to shift focus and probe? I've navigated the empire's crafty council for decades—those "young" old foxes (lucky they're not here, or they'd riot; our empire's got sons-in-law older than fathers-in-law, ha). "You're right, we're not from here. Our purpose? Do I need to spell it out?" Let's see who blinks first.
The Great Elder paused. "So, Your Majesty's here to sightsee?"
Patient old coot. I stretched lazily. "Not quite. If I like it, I might settle down." I smirked at the elders, their faces flushing.
The Fourth Elder, hot-tempered, stood. "It's not just settling, is it? Let's be frank—enough circling."
Perfect, I was waiting for that. Keeping my tone mild, I said, "This elder's direct, so I'll be clear. I loved this place on arrival. But then, a mob surrounded my palace and attacked without a word. How unjust! Yet, I upheld my noble 'no-killing' ethos. Even hunted, I didn't curse or strike back, fearing an accidental bloodbath. At our level, one slip is catastrophic, right? So, I called my men to 'play' with you. Sadly, your folks were too weak, so I trained them up. They're much nimbler now—check them out sometime."
"You—twisting words!" The Fourth Elder turned away, fuming.
"Fourth Brother, calm down," the Great Elder soothed, then faced me. "Your Majesty, don't you feel a bit guilty? With your power, no one here could challenge you. Even if true, did you need millions of troops? Our few million fighters are nothing to you. Your intent is clear—to dominate the Immortal Realm, hence the army." He stared into my eyes.
Ha, think glaring will break me? Wrong move.
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