Chapter 96: Chapter 84: Raising the Imperial Banner, Unifying the World! (Part 2)
"I understand. I’ll take action immediately!" Martial Artist Shen Yu nodded heavily, and his figure had already disappeared.
With the situation and plan clarified, the anxiety that had simmered in his heart for several hours instantly calmed. But precisely because of this, he must seize every moment to do all that needed to be done.
Meanwhile, interstellar world Shen Yu also left swiftly.
He too needed to mobilize resources and commence a series of preparations.
Fortunately, being on the front lines at this moment, many things could be produced directly in the frontline factories.
Within the Gray Mist Space, only Shen Yu remained.
"If all goes well, the Martial Arts World may become the first world to temporarily rid itself of the apocalypse crisis." Shen Yu muttered, filled with anticipation for that coming moment.
At this very moment, as soon as Martial Artist Shen Yu returned to his own world, he summoned all the high-ranking leaders.
Now, Moonstone City was far busier than before.
Not only had powerful figures like those from the Earth Martial Sect joined, but utilizing the transport ships, they had successfully recruited several other forces as well. These past days, the transport ships hadn’t stopped for a moment, and the population of Moonstone City was now nearing forty million.
Even the underground around here was almost completely excavated.
This place was originally intended as an important base.
Fortunately, previous probes showed that this area was indeed a sparse zone of Earth Evil Power veins, and such regions seemed more prone to giving rise to special mineral resources.
So, all the efforts during these days had not been in vain.
Now, facing the more than fifty people before him, Martial Artist Shen Yu dispensed with pretense.
"I’ll speak plainly: an apocalyptic catastrophe has already begun."
The very first words he spoke caused an uproar in the room. Even top experts like Xu Yuan stared at Shen Yu in stunned silence.
"The root is still at the Earth Martial Sect," Martial Artist Shen Yu directly opened a projection, showing everyone the top-down view of the rapidly forming, spiraling, super-giant storm. "The storm at Earth Martial Sect has detonated Earth Evil Power that’s been hidden underground for billions of years. The surge of this power has accelerated the storm’s formation and expansion. I just performed a prophecy using Immortal Technique: three days. At most, three days—this apocalyptic storm will cover the entire world! By then, there will be no living space for any creature on the surface!"
Gazing at the unheard-of aerial view in the projection, looking at that terrifying storm coiling above the vast continent, and hearing Martial Artist Shen Yu’s words, everyone’s faces changed dramatically.
Especially for people like Xu Yuan from the Earth Martial Sect!
The grueling days of struggling to survive under such a horrific storm had nearly become the entire sect’s nightmare.
They had thought they’d already escaped that storm, but now—how could it engulf the whole world?
"May I ask, Immortal," Xu Yuan raised his hand and asked with difficulty, "From now on, must we only live underground?"
"Perhaps there will be solutions in the future, but right now, only the underground offers a place to survive." Martial Artist Shen Yu nodded.
Even if interstellar world Shen Yu could build bases on the surface, for now there was no need.
Surviving on the surface under a storm would cost much more.
Besides, time was far too tight. It’s easier to build survival bases underground.
"Son-in-law," Moonstone City Lord also spoke at this moment. Though trying to maintain composure, a hint of panic still appeared in his expression. "Only three days—isn’t that much too short? We simply can’t construct enough tunnels to hold so many people. What’s more, if the storm’s like at Earth Martial Sect, then the shallow caves we’ve dug so far won’t be enough."
Indeed, he had seen the situation at Earth Martial Sect himself through a projection that day.
Even twenty meters deep underground wasn’t enough to survive.
The tunnels they’d dug these days were just to provide the common people a temporary shelter from the harsh wind, and most diggers were just ordinary civilians—none of them had the Martial Arts Power of the Earth Martial Sect.
Forget twenty meters, even seven or eight meters was the most they managed.
Many others realized this too, and panic quickly spread.
"Yeah, only three days—how can it be so fast?"
"In three days, how are we supposed to dig tunnels for forty million people?"
"Not even in three years, let alone three days, could we build that."
"The people under our protection—are we to watch them all die?"
"..."
At a time like this, those who’d brought their own forces to seek the Immortal’s protection all cared about their own power and the survival of their people. That was even the main reason they’d taken the initiative to join.
To suddenly hear of such a catastrophe, every face was stricken with gloom.
It was as if they could already see all their people massacred before their eyes.
Some even turned pale. For example, West Mountain Saintess could no longer sit still, her body trembling, barely able to remain upright.
"Quiet," Martial Artist Shen Yu snapped softly.
In an instant, the entire hall went silent.
It wasn’t so much that Martial Artist Shen Yu’s Immortal authority had reached such heights; rather, in this moment, he was their only hope.
"You do not need to worry about building the Underground Palace. I’ve already borrowed one hundred million Strong Puppets from other Immortals. Not only will I house these forty million people—I intend to save every survivor in this world!" Martial Artist Shen Yu said in a deep voice. "Only then will I be worthy of redeeming this world from calamity."
"..." Silence filled the hall.
Everyone was shell-shocked.
They had guessed that the Immortal might have a way to accomplish such a task.
But one hundred million Strong Puppets?
To act—just like that, and a hundred million appear?
No wonder he’s called an Immortal! Means like this were truly beyond the wildest imagination of mere mortals like them!
But once they came to their senses, all their faces showed joy.
West Mountain Saintess and others even let out a long sigh of relief.
From the abyss to the celestial realm—just like that.
"The Strong Puppets will arrive soon. What you must do is calm the populace under your command, maintain order, and there’s one more thing." Martial Artist Shen Yu paused, looked around at everyone, and continued, "I intend to raise the imperial banner and unite the land!"
The last sentence once again left everyone dumbfounded.
But this time, their astonishment was brief.
Several immediately reacted, some even with delight on their faces.
"Good! Good! Son-in-law—no, Your Majesty!" Moonstone City Lord was the first to rise, "It should have been thus long ago. Your Majesty, as a Reincarnated Immortal, a born Saint, is truly the one of Celestial Destiny. No Emperor in history can compare! I pay homage to Your Majesty!"
This titanic father-in-law of Martial Artist Shen Yu now unhesitatingly knelt to the floor.
Which made the others curse inwardly for being outdone.
But all of them quickly caught on as well.
One after another, they rose and knelt together.
"Your subjects pay homage to Your Majesty!"
They weren’t surprised—in fact, this had already been discussed. Even if His Majesty refused, they would persuade him with reason and emotion.
After all, as more kept coming together these days, management grew chaotic. Each only cared for their own followers, there were no rules, and conflicts had already broken out.
Within their understanding, the only solution they could imagine was imperial rule!
There was precedent for this.
All past empires began with a generation of Martial Arts Myth seizing power, rapidly recruiting countless forces, then founding an empire and establishing an imperial system.
Admittedly, after the Martial Arts Myth’s death, those empires always collapsed quickly.
But this time, it was an Immortal.
A True Immortal who lived as long as Heaven and Earth!
Not to mention, with catastrophe looming, everyone must rely on the Immortal to live—the empire would be stable as a mountain.
This could truly last for thousands of generations!
With this realization, they looked at the Moonstone City Lord with utter envy, wishing they could replace him.
That’s the Imperial Father-in-law!
I wonder if His Majesty would ever take more concubines—no, Imperial Consorts.
And just as some were stirred with hidden thoughts by this sudden news, Martial Artist Shen Yu spoke again: "Proclaiming myself emperor is only to better manage hundreds of millions of disaster victims. You may emulate the ancients and swiftly draft regulations, but what matters most now is to gather all the people in the world. For every second wasted, countless deaths will occur. Xu Yuan, gather ten thousand at once, board the Immortal Ship, and go forth with me!"