The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

"What a dense blood-red glow… What on earth is happening in the north?" As night fell, the strange occurrence in the northern sky captured the attention of many on the warship. Curious, they gathered on the deck, gazing out at the scene.

In the northern part of the Origin State, the once dark night sky was now illuminated by a vivid crimson light, though no one could tell what was causing it.

Lin Qian, who had also returned to the warship, saw the scene and furrowed his brows.

He had seen this phenomenon before; the same glow now enveloped the mountain gates of the Wanxiang Sect.

"Could it be that this alien is using that formation again, refining flesh and blood essence in the north? But all the humans are here—who could he be refining?" Lin Qian pondered for only a moment before the realization hit him. "The Dwarf Goblins and Giant Goblins."

His lips curled into a mocking smile as he thought, "Those two races could never have imagined that, instead of the humans being exterminated, they would be the first to vanish from this small world."

Lin Qian wasn't particularly worried that the alien would succeed in his original plan by refining the goblins' flesh and blood essence. If it were that simple, the alien would have done it long ago.

The alien likely needed human flesh and blood essence specifically, as humans were far more valuable than the Dwarf Goblins and Giant Goblins due to their superior bloodlines.

As for why he was still refining them, Lin Qian quickly deduced the reason.

"To enhance the undead."

Gazing at the blood-red glow surging into the sky to the north, Lin Qian silently observed, "I'll have to see just how powerful your enhanced army of thirty million undead will be."

In the Huaxia Empire, on an expansive plain where camps and training grounds were being constructed, Zhao Long stood in his black dragon silver armor, arms crossed, surveying the scene below.

Numerous imperial army formations were neatly arrayed, their armor—now transformed into Soul Tools—gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, sharp enough to wound.

Not only that, but they also carried weapons, fully equipped Yuan Weapons, ready for battle.

If any craftsman from the outside world were present, they would surely be shocked. How could Yuan Weapons manifest in such a fully-formed state without the infusion of soul energy into their cores and components?

A murderous aura hung over the area, yet everything remained perfectly ordered. Zhao Long's presence was like a stabilizing force, anchoring the entire situation.

"Since following His Majesty to this strange world, this will be the empire's first real war," Zhao Long muttered, his blood boiling as he looked at the ready troops. "I can hardly wait! These non-human barbarians dared to challenge His Majesty—such treasonous behavior deserves nothing less than death."

"This race should be erased from existence—they don't deserve to live in this world."

With this thought, the veins on Zhao Long's forehead bulged, and he clenched his teeth so tightly they creaked. He was itching to rush out and wreak havoc on the battlefield.

Zhao Long was the strongest general Lin Qian had crafted in his previous life's game, a close-guard general whose power had been adapted to this world. He was also one of the corps commanders.

His loyalty to Lin Qian was blind, fanatical, and unwavering.

In the Origin State of the small world, the next day arrived in the blink of an eye.

Though the sky in the southern region remained perpetually dark, the six warships hovered in place, their formations glowing brightly enough to illuminate life on the ships as if it were daylight.

When Lin Qian emerged from his quarters, he was surprised to find that everyone was fully armed.

Indeed, everyone.

Not only the Soul Martial Artists who possessed soul energy but even the elderly, women, and children had taken up weapons. Lin Qian even saw several young children gripping small wooden sticks, their faces youthful but resolute.

With a wry smile, Lin Qian approached the children. "You little rascals, what do you think you're doing?"

"Dad and Mom said bad people want to bully Big Brother Emperor, so we're here to help you fight them," one child declared.

"Yeah, they said those people are worse than the Dwarf and Giant Goblins. We want to help too," another chimed in, their innocent faces full of determination.

"The saying goes, 'The virtuous win support; the unworthy are isolated.' Is this what it means to be invincible through virtue?" Lin Qian mused, recalling the words of his ancestors from his past life.

He looked up at the crowd, all ready to stand by him through life and death, and remained silent for a long time.

If you treat your people with kindness, they will return that kindness with loyalty.

"You deserve kindness, but as for the enemy…" Lin Qian muttered to himself, then turned his gaze forward, his eyes narrowing. "They will receive only ruthlessness."

In the distance, dark clouds suddenly appeared in the sky, rolling in like a tide, blocking out the sun.

These weren't ordinary clouds—they were the vast undead army that Lu Shangda had restored and enhanced.

Thirty million undead at the peak of the Void-breaking realm. The sheer number of them struck terror into many aboard the warships, making their legs go weak, but not a single one stepped back.

Finally, the enormous undead army halted just short of the warships' barrier. Blood-red eyes stared out from within the horde, clearly indicating that the undead had reached their peak state.

Hovering above the undead army, Lu Shangda, controlling the Blood Nurtured Corpse, gazed at Lin Qian through the barrier. "Lin Qian, it seems today's battle will be my army breaking through your turtle shell, won't it?"

"You seem confident? Unfortunately, there will be only one victor in this war, and that victor is me."

Seeing Lin Qian's calm and self-assured demeanor, Lu Shangda couldn't help but laugh, both amused and enraged. "You're quite the arrogant human boy."

"I'm simply stating a fact. Moreover…" As Lin Qian spoke, imperial soul energy erupted from within him, manifesting as a burning imperial robe, with nine dragons appearing around him, roaring in unison.

Lin Qian's body bent slightly, and he sat back into the empty air.

In an instant, a brilliant golden throne materialized beneath him, the nine dragons swooping down to become lifelike carvings on it.

The Nine-Dragon Throne carried Lin Qian, wrapped in his imperial robe, upward into the sky, behind him faint images of various scenes appearing.

It was as if another world had emerged behind Lin Qian, unfamiliar landscapes flashing by before being drawn into the Nine-Dragon Throne.

Lin Qian's eyes turned golden as he looked down at the Blood Nurtured Corpse.

For reasons unknown, Lu Shangda, controlling the Blood Nurtured Corpse from within the undead army, suddenly felt that everything was under Lin Qian's control.

That gaze… it wasn't just that of an emperor looking down on a lowly being daring to challenge him.

No, it wasn't just that. It was more than that.

It was the gaze of someone who saw through everything, who had the entire situation in the palm of their hand.

Lu Shangda clearly felt it—this was no mere perception of himself or his presence behind the scenes.

This was a perception of the entire battlefield, as if nothing could escape those golden eyes.

Ugh!

The Blood Nurtured Corpse trembled and lowered its head, covering its eyes with one hand as two streams of blood-tears flowed from its sockets. Yet its eyes remained wide open, filled with disbelief.

"How can this be? I can't even bear to look directly at him…"

At that moment, Lin Qian finally spoke the words he had left unfinished.

"You only have the qualification to be looked down upon by me, alien!"