Divine Emperor of Death

In a certain location, there was a huge grand palace.

It was over eighteen floors tall.

The scene was extraordinary as the palace was like a huge sword stabbed into the ground, but what's more interesting was that there was an endless sea of cultivators, their robes of varying colors and designs possessing a plethora of power and ambition, filled the expansive courtyard of the grand palace and beyond.

They had gathered here for only one reason—to catch a glimpse of a supreme cultivator who is said to stand at the apex.

No one knew for sure if such a thing was true or not, yet the air was thick with anticipation.

"Heavens… is that person really coming here to our Abandoned Immortal Lower Realm?"

"It should be true. Can't you see the congregation of powerful Immortal Emperors and Sovereigns alike?"

"Indeed. None of them are normal Immortal Emperors or normal Sovereigns. They are supreme geniuses of their time and probably current Patriarchs, but even they don't hold a candle to the person who's supposedly coming to this realm…"

"Hold a candle? Heh, more like not even worthy to clean that person's shoes…"

Conversations hummed with excitement and reverence and a bit of schadenfreude, the sheer presence of so many powerful beings creating a thrumming noise.

At this moment, the sun almost reached the center of the skies, casting a golden hue over the vast landscape outside the grand palace. As the light shone stronger as the clouds parted, it revealed the intricate carvings and towering spires of the palace, speaking volumes of the centuries of cultivation and craftsmanship.

Inside the grand palace, the atmosphere was no less intense.

In fact, the grand hall was filled with the most powerful cultivators from the many sects and clans from many Lower Realms and Minor Realms.

These were individuals who commanded immense respect and fear in their own right, yet today, they stood with a sense of humility and piety, which was quite unusual for men and women of their stature.

At the far end of the hall, a large dais stood, flanked by ornate pillars and draped with banners depicting ancient symbols of power and wisdom. The dais remained empty, waiting for the arrival of the one they all revered.

*Dong~*

Whispered conversations ceased as a gong sounded, the deep note echoing through the vast chamber.

The doors at the far end of the hall swung open, and a figure clad in pristine white robes entered. His movements were calm and deliberate, and an aura of immense power radiated from him, causing the gathered cultivators to instinctively lower their heads in respect.

The white-robed man had arrived before the altar.

His face was serene, his eyes holding the depth of ages. As he ascended the dais, a profound silence fell over the hall. One would think every eye would be on him, but no, they kept their heads lowered, every breath held in anticipation.

The white-robed man didn't turn to address the crowd.

Instead, he looked at the center of the altar where a certain karmic treasure was kept.

However, around two hundred treasures surrounded this treasure in a circle. They were connected to the strange karmic treasure at the center as runes were etched all over the ground, making it appear like a grand formation.

Regardless, the treasures were dazzling and took the breath of most people present here.

Some were swords, spears, shields, and other items, including a wide array of armaments and artifacts. They were all different, exuding a tremendous amount of energy at various levels, but they were all at least in the Empyrean Grade.

Most treasures were at the Low-Level Empyrean Grade, but some treasures were also at the Mid-Level Empyrean Grade.

However, all these treasures had one thing in common: they were all Legacy Treasures.

These were all Legacy Armaments and Legacy Artifacts of the powers that had gathered in the grand palace. They were nurtured with their blood and sweat for millions of years, some even extending to hundreds of millions of years with a deep karmic tie to the respective realms.

There were forty such Legacy Treasures amongst the two hundred treasures, but the white-robed man narrowed his eyes as the numbers weren't quite right.

"O Supreme One,"

A man clad in sapphire armor cupped his hands and went on his knee, "Some Lower Realms had gone extinct, similar to the Forsaken Yin Lower Realm had gone extinct after their destruction, their Legacy Artifacts destroyed or whereabouts unknown. The same could be said about other major powers within the Lower Realms or the rulers of the Minor Realms. Their Legacy Treasures couldn't be obt-"

"I understand."

The white-robed man's voice echoed out as he interrupted the sapphire-armored man.

Turning to look around, he raised a hand, and the power in the grand hall seemed to shift, becoming almost tangible before the energy disappeared. In front of his tremendous and sacred aura, they appeared to be no different than mortals.

"Fellow cultivators," his voice was soft but carried throughout the grand hall with ease, "Today marks a new beginning for us all."

The cultivators outside the palace felt the change in the air as well, the very earth seeming to hum with the white-robed man's presence. Those closest to the grand palace gates could hear him loud and clear, a ripple of awe spread through the crowd.

Inside, the white-robed man continued, his words imbued with a power that resonated deeply with every listener, "We stand on the precipice of a new era, one where unity and strength are required more than ever and will lead us to heights undreamt of. Each of you who have gathered here from the far corners of the third layer of our universe and offered your Legacy Treasures that uphold your faction's karmic luck will undoubtedly play a part in this grand undertaking, and your sacrifices will be remembered and even compensated for in the future."

Heads nodded in agreement, the pious expressions of the gathered cultivators showing their absolute faith in his vision. He was no religious figure, but the reverence he commanded was absolute, born from his unparalleled power and wisdom.

The white-robed man's speech wasn't long.

He spoke of future battles between the galaxies in a cryptic tone and once again reiterated the need for unity among the sects and the entirety of the powers in all realms controlled by the human race and the races that have allied themselves under the human race's banner, and of the great promise that lay ahead if they stood together.

His words wove a deep bond of hope and resolve, binding the powerful cultivators to humanity's cause with an invisible thread of loyalty.

As he finished speaking, the hall erupted in a chorus of affirmations, the powerful cultivators pledging their allegiance to the white-robed man and his vision.

Outside, the crowd felt the surge of commitment and unity, and they, too, raised their voices in support, the sound carrying across the land.

The white-robed man smiled lightly, a gesture filled with both kindness and authority. He knew the path ahead would be challenging, but with this gathering of power bound together by a common purpose, he knew there would be a few promising individuals who would rise up to the task of protecting the human race.

He wished to see at least one of them become a pillar of the human race.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, its light now flooding the palace and the sea of cultivators outside, his expression finally went from one of genial to solemness.

At that moment, the cultivators lowered their heads again.

In fact, they never dared to look at his face except a select few.

"It's time…"

He started, his voice firm and stern, "… to cleanse our galaxy- no, our universe of the plague that inevitably causes us to be sunken in calamities regardless of their nature."