Chapter 582: Prelude to the war (part-4)
Destroying one self's cultivation is an extremely painful and disgraceful action that one would prefer death.
It was even more painful for Spirit Warriors that has high cultivation levels and they worked hard for decades to achieve what they are now.
Shen Li was a 94-year-old man who reached the 6-circle-realm more than twenty years ago but stuck in that realm since then.
To achieve the Exalt realm, he cut off his connections with the royal family and spent most of his time researching various cultivation techniques from all over the continent.
In the end, he had found a forbidden method of making a breakthrough by sacrificing life force and forcefully turning his normal cells into ether particles.
Luckily for him, he encountered Chang Bo and somehow learned through his treasure that this adolescent boy had the werewolf bloodline and had an incredible amount of life force. He became close with Chang Bo and Meng Tao by joining the store as a chef, using a fake name. frёewebηovel.cѳm
To further deepen their bond, he picked up guns and learned everything about them from Meng Tao, even volunteering himself as his sparring partner.
Eventually, the time comes when Chang Bo is not in protection by the store's guardian robot and he attacks him with another forbidden technique, absorbing almost a thousand years worth of life force.
In the end, he made the breakthrough and became the first ever 7-circle realm expert of the Shen Dynasty.
Since his goal has been accomplished, Shen Li, who developed a liking for firearms, decided to develop a sect, which will have firearm warriors that could potentially go head to head with other top sects.
Since such people were plenty, he was sure that he could make it the biggest sect on the continent.
However, while he doesn't lack any money to buy firearms, he does lack skilled experts who could train them. For that sake, he needed Meng Tao on his side.
Since his actions against Chang Bo were never reported, he grew confident and tried to push Meng Tao even more, trying to use his revenge against him.
He was about to finish his next step too but Mark's intervention completely turned around the situation.
He thought Mark wouldn't make a move on him because of his relationship with the royal family, but never expected this powerful in-law to be so ruthless.
As soon as Shen Li saw how Mark silenced his father-in-law, he had already given up on hope. Then, his nephew had to beg the fellow to spare his life.
For a moment, it does seem like he could escape, but Mark once again crushed his hope by directly giving him an ultimatum: Death or Destruction of Cultivation.
What should he do?
Well, there is no route to escape. He was trapped in a spatial barrier and even life-saving random teleportation scrolls won't work.
Shen Li could only take out a pyramid-shaped locket from his storage ring and spoke, "Can I exchange my punishment with this treasure that was passed down from our royal ancestors?"
"The Sphinx's locket?" Shen Niu, whose expression turned into relief by Mark's promise, frowned when he saw the locket. "I thought that it was lost. It was with Uncle Li?"
"What is it, King Shen?" asked Shang Fu in curiosity. The retired emperor was perhaps the most chilled person in the arena, at the moment. Why would he fear his own son when their relationship has already been repaired, anyway?
Shen Niu answered, "The Sphinx Locket was one of the treasures passed by our founder. It is said to have imprisoned an ancient spirit called the Sphinx, which is said to possess unlimited knowledge and even know the secrets of heaven. For every riddle one solves, it will answer any question that's in the mind of the cultivator. One could even learn their fate."
"Oh, that's a good one," Shang Fu nodded with a smile.
In theory, it does sound like a worthy treasure, when Shen Li explained the same thing to Mark.
However, Mark simply responded with a statement, "The law of Spirit Warriors says that those who kill the person have the first right to the dead's treasures, over the dead's immediate family. In that case, I don't need to spare you for that treasure."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Moreover, what I'm doing to you is simply giving a punishment. You still have to pay compensation to Chang Bo for stealing his life force. That treasure is a befitting one. After the destruction of your cultivation, you can hand it over to Chang Bo personally and apologize."
"You…" The elderly prince was so angered that he spat out a mouthful of blood, "Just what is it that you want, then?" Shen Li roared. "What good it will do to anyone whether my life or my cultivation is destroyed, Lord Lu?"
Mark stared at him for a couple of seconds and replied, "Well, it would certainly satiate my anger. This was supposed to be a joyous occasion but you spoiled it."
"You are dead set on unjustly murdering a royal in front of everyone here, aren't you?" Shen Li's eyes widened in realization.
Mark lessened their distance and looked at him straight in the eyes, "What if I want to?" His eyes wandered in his surroundings as he put forth a challenge, "Who would dare to stop me?"
The arena was silent. It was as if he said. No one dares to come forward and rescue the grand prince. King Shen Niu had to cup his fists toward Shang Fu, asking him to intervene. After all, the murder of a royal in such broad daylight with thousands of witnesses will bring shame to the Shen Dynasty.
However, Shang Fu could only helplessly shake his head, rejecting his request with an excuse that he didn't have the power to change his son's mind. Not even his wife could stop him. The only person who probably possessed such power/authority in the entire world is Song Yue, his daughter-in-law.
King Shen Niu hurriedly took out the communication scroll and sent a message to his daughter, who was resting at the palace and supervising the preparations for the Grand Banquet.
Meanwhile, Mark stared silently at the grand prince, placing his hands behind the back but without dismissing the Ice Spear, as if he wanted to say, "I'm waiting."
Shen Li looked left and right, and fell to his knees as a last resort, "I sacrificed everything, familial relationships, materialism, authority, and even my morals to achieve my goal. I would do anything to keep my life and cultivation intact. If Lord Lu is willing to show mercy upon me, I'm willing to accept slavery too."
"Uncle…" Shen Niu couldn't help but shout. If killing a royal is shameful to the Shen Dynasty, shamelessly becoming a slave to someone is akin to insulting every generation of their ancestors. Death would probably be nobler.
However, Shen Li didn't seem he care about his family's reputation at the moment. He kowtowed and begged Mark to spare him.
Mark was naturally unconvinced. He ruthlessly said, "Why would I accept a weakling and a wicked person like you as my servant? Since you refuse to… Hmm?"
Shen Li's body trembled once again by Mark's words but then the pause made him raise his head and take a look at the young man, who developed a frown on his face as a dark energy scroll appeared in front of him.
Once the message disappeared, Mark changed his words instantly, "You took a thousand years of life from Chang Bo. You shall be his slave for a period of a thousand years."
A 7-circle realm expert doesn't have a thousand years of lifespan. So, naturally, it means that Shen Li will be a slave to Chang Bo until he dies.
"Thank you for the mercy…" Shen Li kowtowed and bowed three times, hitting the ground with his head, and expressing his thanks.
"Eol… seal his cultivation," Mark said to the demigod who was quietly floating in the air, above the Spidership.
"Understood, Sir," Eol gave a modern military-style salute that Mark was familiar with and proceeded to seal Shen Li's cultivation as the spatial barrier was removed.
Once the job is done, Mark then takes a glance at his silent subordinate who doesn't dare to even lift his head in shame, "Meng Tao…"
Meng Tao shuddered for a second, "Ma… Master…" He kneeled and cupped his fists, bowing to him, "I… I apolog…"
"No need for it," Mark interrupted him, not letting him finish the sentence, "I'll leave him under your supervision. We'll about this later."
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"Ye… Yes, thank you for the mercy."
As Eol then transferred Shen Li and Meng Tao to the Spidership where they met four unfamiliar individuals, Mark rose into the air once again and addressed the audience, continuing to maintain the air of a supreme expert, "Now that the pest has been dealt with, let's get to the matter you all have been summoned here. You may all sit down."
Until Mark didn't say those words, none in the audience section sat down ever since he arrived and watched him in silence.