Eternal Villain: I can enslave Reality!

"As I said before, I'm not here to fight. I just want to take something that belongs to me." Xu Shan wasn't in a hurry to reveal all his cards.

Even though he was in the same realm as the Divine Empress, there was no certainty how the battle was going to go, especially since she possessed the Book of Devouring.

Xu Shan didn't even know what that book was actually capable of, other than Devouring another person's strength. He wasn't in any hurry, especially since he had the initiative in his hands.

Now that things had actually come to this point, the only option was to become as strong as he could, before actually finishing the matters. There was still time before the Formation was completed by the Queen.

Fighting before that point was useless since he needed her to complete the formation.

"I just want the Celestial Lotus and I'll leave. Though I heard that you need their seeds, that doesn't concern me. You can keep their seeds. As for what happens to this world, it's also none of my concern."

While Xu Shan subtly distanced himself, he dangled a tempting proposition in front of the Queen. He cleverly showed that he understood her intentions, yet managed to adopt a nonchalant demeanour as if it held no importance to him.

The Divine Queen was also uncertain just what the young man before her was capable of. He had a similar ability to her, which made her wonder if he had a Book like hers as well.

Doubts about the true nature of Xu Shan made her unsettled. She questioned whether engaging in a confrontation was the wisest approach, considering her lack of knowledge about him.

Time had come to a standstill, as the Queen weighed the risks and benefits of her next move. She was very close to her goals. Fighting at this point was very risky, especially since there was a chance that the Celestial Lotus was going to be destroyed in the battle.

For decades, she had tirelessly searched for the Celestial Lotus. Now at the final step, she was determined not to take any unnecessary risks, considering the formation was on the verge of completion.

"Alright. I will give you the Celestial Lotus."

Ultimately, she managed to overcome her impulse to attack and tear Xu Shan apart, thanks to her rational thinking.

Xu Shan couldn't help but smirk, confident that he had finally won the battle. It was a battle of nerves and the Divine Queen lost the battle despite being so strong.

With grace and elegance, the Divine Queen approached the Celestial Lotus, delicately retrieving its precious Seeds. These Seeds, enveloped in the radiant aura of the Queen, were carefully guarded.

The rest of the Celestial Lotus floated closer to Xu Shan, landing in his hand.

"You can leave now," the Queen told the young man while glancing at her father.

In the past, she harboured intense animosity towards her father, but as time passed, her emotions evolved into complete indifference. It was as though his presence held no significance in her life.

Her father had become a largely inconsequential figure at present. While he held limited sway within the Empire, his influence was confined to a handful of rebels who were notably weak.

In no time at all, she would ascend to an unmatched supremacy, having devoured the entire world. There was nothing that could obstruct her path. All obstacles were mere trifles to her.

Xu Shan held the Celestial Lotus in his hand, a long-awaited moment finally coming to fruition. After enduring for so long, he had managed to reclaim what had been taken from him.

The Empress looked at Xu Shan, as if she was wondering why he wasn't leaving now that he had what he wanted.

Xu Shan understood the meaning behind her look. He offered an explanation.

"Carrying the Celestial Lotus back to my world would destroy a lot of its efficacy. So can I ask the Empress to give me a place to stay?"

The Divine Empress expressed her utter disbelief. "Could you possibly display any more shamelessness? After sullying my palace by freeing the Rebels, you want me to give you a place to stay?"

"Yes." Xu Shan replied in a carefree manner, sitting on the Empress' bed. "Though this room doesn't look half bad. I wouldn't mind staying here." 𝙗𝒆𝒅𝒏𝙤𝒗𝒆𝙡．𝙤𝒓𝙜

"Are you testing my patience?" The Empress asked in disbelief.

Xu Shan nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders, while the Empress couldn't help but palm her face in frustration.

"Fine. There is an empty Mansion near our Palace. You will stay there. I'll also assign a General to help you get accomodated and with other things."

"Sounds good." Xu Shan stood up. "I will be waiting outside for the General. By the way, if it's possible, could you please send the General who visited the World of Alchemy? I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to have a brief conversation with him."

"He isn't in the City. I'll send someone else. And if possible, don't kill him like the last General of mine that you killed."

Xu Shan understood why the Empress wanted them alive. It wasn't that she cared about her generals. Instead, they were like her precious fuel resource that she wanted to use when devouring everything.

The reason she appointed a General with him was solely to maintain close surveillance on him, ensuring that there was constant oversight and supervision at all times.

"You don't have to worry about him being out of the city," Xu Shan said. "I'll be waiting for him outside. Send him my way when he's done giving you a brief. Oh right, his brief is also related to me, so don't be too harsh on him."

Xu Shan stepped out of the room. At first, the Queen was perplexed by his words, unsure of their meaning. However, a feeling of familiarity washed over her as she sensed the presence of the Generals she had dispatched to investigate beyond the City's borders.

Among them was the General responsible for the attack on Xu Shan in the World of Alchemy.