CHAPTER 206: CHAPTER 203: SUBMISSION FROM WITCHCRAFT FIELD_1

"To surrender or not to surrender?"

After leaving the Imperial Hall, the Witch Ancestor walked aimlessly on the White Jade Official Road, oblivious to the exquisitely carved statues on either side. As he was about to exit the palace, he noticed a massive jade stele standing in the small plaza ahead. Upon it was an engraved map: the territorial map of the Great Qin Divine Court. From the map, he could see that the Qin Divine Court’s territory was vast, occupying multiple Dao Domains and bordering the Thunder Divine Court, the Fenghua Divine Court, Langya Sect, the Heavenly Wolf Tribe, and the Xuan Serpent Tribe to the west...

To the east, however, there was only the solitary ’Liwu Dao Domain’, isolated overseas!

This is the predicament of a trapped tiger!

The Witch Ancestor sighed deeply. Having reached a decision, he strode out of the palace gates, intending to tour the Qin Divine Court.

Pushing open the gates, he was met by the clamorous hustle and bustle of the mortal world!

Wandering the streets, he often engaged Qin citizens in conversation, indirectly inquiring about Qin Wudao’s reputation, and invariably received universal praise.

BOOM!

BOOM!

While the Witch Ancestor was sipping tea in a teahouse, two terrifying waves of pressure suddenly bore down.

What’s happening?

Startled, the Witch Ancestor wondered if foreign enemies were attacking. He hurried to the window, looking up at two divine radiances in the sky—one white, one red. Their dazzling light of the Law obscured the sun and moon, like a strike from a divine spirit. The two supreme attacks collided, leaving trails of phantoms in the Void.

Even the Witch Ancestor could barely follow their movements.

A peerless powerhouse... they could kill me with a single strike!

The Witch Ancestor swallowed, profoundly shocked. At that moment, he felt his own insignificance, the helplessness of a frog in a well gazing upon the boundless sky.

"HAHA! Today was enjoyable! We shall fight again another day!"

The figure wreathed in red divine radiance staggered backward, stabilizing himself ten thousand zhang away. Appearing defeated, he flew towards the palace. As he departed, the light of the Laws faded, revealing a pair of hammers!

Recognizing the familiar hammers, the Witch Ancestor’s pupils contracted. Aren’t those Li Yuanba’s weapons?

He swiftly turned to look at the other figure—it was Dong Zhongshu, the unfathomably strong martial artist from the imperial court!

"You are welcome anytime. But no matter when, you will never be my match!"

Dong Zhongshu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his aura transcendent. He walked towards the palace, each step covering hundreds of zhang, his robes fluttering, presenting an image of effortless grace.

Once inside the palace, Dong Zhongshu immediately clutched his chest, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "ARGH! It’s killing me!" he gasped to himself. "That big oaf has no idea how to hold back!"

It turned out that the earlier spar between Li Yuanba and Dong Zhongshu had been an act. The purpose was to make people believe that Dong Zhongshu’s strength surpassed even that of Li Yuanba, a Fourth-Turn Saint King!

The city’s residents, apparently accustomed to such sights, showed no surprise. "So it was just the court officials sparring, nothing to worry about!" they murmured. After the battle ended, they dispersed in twos and threes, and the streets quickly returned to their usual bustle.

Only the Witch Ancestor remained standing by the window, a terrifying thought taking root in his mind: So his cultivation has long surpassed the Fourth-Turn Saint King Realm! The Qin Divine Court... it’s too terrifying!

Across the entire Primal Continent, a Fourth-Turn Saint King was a colossal existence! What then of someone surpassing the Fourth-Turn Saint King Realm? Such beings were few even in the Kylin Holy Land, each wielding immense power, as elusive as a Divine Dragon, which shows its head but hides its tail.

This is definitely a show of force. If we don’t submit, the Liwu Dao Domain will surely be annihilated...ŸŸŸ

Struggling to calm himself, the Witch Ancestor hastily left a Spirit Stone on the table and hurried out of the teahouse, his expression troubled. He was not seen in the Imperial Capital for the next two days.

When the three-day deadline arrived, a delegation of six appeared outside the Imperial Capital, each wearing Myriad Venom Robes of different colors. These six were the Witch Ancestor, the Great Elders of the Three Lineages, and three attendants.

"Halt! What brings you here?" a Reaching the Holy Realm General shouted sternly as he flew into the air.

"Esteemed General," the Witch Ancestor replied politely, showing no disrespect despite the General’s lower cultivation, "we are from the Liwu Dao Domain and have come to pay our respects to the Qin Divine Court. We trouble you to inform His Majesty the Divine Emperor."

"Please wait a moment!" the General replied, neither servile nor overbearing, then saluted and returned to the city to deliver the message.

During this interval, the Witch Ancestor and his delegation waited silently outside the city.

After a quarter of an hour, Zhuge Liang, accompanied by officials, came out of the city to welcome them. He dispatched troops to clear a street, according due respect to the Witch Ancestor’s party. After all, this was the first power to pledge allegiance, and Great Qin wished to set an example for others.

"Let’s go!" the Witch Ancestor said. Feeling the importance placed upon them by the Qin Divine Court, he breathed a sigh of relief. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhuge Liang and then entered the city, heading towards the palace.

Along the way, the Witch Ancestor stated his purpose, expressing willingness to merge the Liwu Dao Domain with the Qin Divine Court, thereby setting the fundamental tone for the upcoming negotiations.

After an audience with Qin Wudao, the negotiations officially began!

Great Qin’s negotiation team was a veritable constellation of stars, including Zhuge Liang, Wang Yangming, Jia Xu, and Dong Zhongshu. The Liwu Dao Domain’s side was rather modest in comparison, with only the Great Elders of the Three Lineages as negotiators.

Under the watchful eyes of Qin Wudao and the Witch Ancestor, the two sides began their war of words!

Initially, the atmosphere was amicable, and they spoke politely. However, as time wore on, the mood grew increasingly tense. Both sides engaged in sharp verbal sparring, their words like the keenest of blades. For the sake of their respective interests, neither side was willing to concede. They truly haggled over every last detail!

Regarding the governance of the Liwu Dao Domain in particular, neither side yielded an inch. They debated for two full days before finally reaching a consensus.

Naturally, the final outcome of the negotiations resulted in Great Qin securing greater benefits.

"We pay homage, Your Majesty the Divine Emperor!" the Witch Ancestor said, his face grim, as he led the Great Elders of the Three Lineages in performing the obeisance of a subject to his sovereign.

"Please rise!" Qin Wudao declared from his high throne, a smile on his face.

Afterward, the Witch Ancestor, representing the Liwu Dao Domain, signed a treaty with Great Qin. The treaty incorporated the contents of their negotiations, totaling ninety-three articles covering all aspects.

Article 1: The Qin Divine Court is the legitimate ruling power over the Liwu Dao Domain. The Liwu Dao Domain shall be incorporated into the Qin Divine Court, adopt its systems, and be subject to its governance, including the appointment of officials by the Qin Divine Court.

Article 2: The Liwu Dao Domain may retain the ’Witch Dao’ lineage and establish the Witch Dao Sect, with Witch Mountain designated as its autonomous territory, and establish its sectarian power base.

Article 3: The Qin Divine Court shall enfeoff the Sect Master of the Witch Dao Sect as a Second-Rank Consecrated Official.

Article 4: The Witch Dao Sect must pay annual taxes to the Qin Divine Court, and the appointment of its Sect Master requires the approval of the Qin Divine Court.

...

Article 63: The Witch Dao Sect shall possess autonomy. Unless truly essential, the Qin Divine Court shall not interfere with the internal management of the Witch Dao Sect.

...

Article 93: All rights of interpretation are vested in the Qin Divine Court.

ROAR!

Above the Imperial Capital, the Golden Dragon of Fortune let out a long cry. Its draconic form grew even more substantial, and the already boundless Sea of Fortune expanded considerably once more.

Thus, the Liwu Dao Domain became a part of the Qin Divine Court!