Da Qin: Conquer all heavens and all realms

Eternal universe, Xianyang star, above the nine heavens.

Ying Zheng sat cross-legged in the void, impervious to all attacks, his imperial might restrained. He did not immediately assemble an expeditionary force and charge into the afterlife universe for revenge. That was not the style of an emperor; that was the style of a reckless man.

He had just been frightened back by a single finger from the Divine Lord, and he knew full well that the other party's power was beyond his current comprehension. A head-on confrontation would be like hitting a rock with an egg.

He needed time, he needed to settle down, he needed to completely digest the Primordial Emperor's memories and power, which were so massive that they could burst his soul, and turn them into his own.

More importantly, he needed to figure out whether these fifteen supreme "existences" around him were allies or new shackles.

At this moment, not far in front of him, the fifteen figures condensed by the pure laws of the Tao were floating quietly.

They have no physical form, yet they exude an aura that is older and deeper than that of the gods of the past universe.

They are the fifteen most powerful emperors under the throne of Yuanshi Great Emperor, the cornerstone of the Yuanshi Universe, and the embodiment of the rules of the heavens and all worlds.

Gold, wood, water, fire and earth, the five elements rotate and evolve all things.

Time and space lay the framework of the universe.

Samsara, life, governs the cycle of birth and death.

Destruction and creation, opposition and unity.

Rules and order keep the avenue running.

Cause and effect, destiny, and a glimpse into the secrets of heaven.

Each of them represents the most original avenue, and each one taken individually is enough to create the world and form a system of its own.

At this moment, these fifteen Dao Masters, who should have been indifferent and aloof, seemed a little agitated.

"Is this... truly the Great Emperor?" the avatar of the Emperor, representing 'destruction,' spoke in a voice as hoarse and uncertain as the gravity of a black hole. "His aura, his ways, are filled with unfamiliar 'impurities.' That's not the Great Emperor's way of 'unity,' but a kind of... overbearing, arbitrary, 'imperial way,' one that judges everything by law!"

"I sensed it." The Emperor's clone, representing the 'rules,' spoke in a voice as cold and precise as the clash of metal and stone. "His core law isn't the 'Origin' we're familiar with, but the 'Qin Law.' This is a brand-new way, never before seen in the universe. He... doesn't really seem to be the Great Emperor, but merely a 'successor' who has inherited some of the Great Emperor's bloodline and authority."

"Successor?" The Emperor's clone, representing "Space," scoffed. "In our Primordial Universe, how can there be a successor? The Great Emperor conquered the void, merging his body with the Dao, and perished in his quest to suppress the 'End'. This was the outcome we all fifteen witnessed! He's dead! This so-called 'Original Great Emperor' was nothing more than a coincidence, an accident, a 'thief' who stole the Great Emperor's power!"

The voices of opposition were sharp and direct.

They couldn't accept it. They had followed the Supreme Lord for billions and billions of years. Their way, their existence, revolved around Yuanshi Great Emperor.

Now, an "ant" from the lower world, full of the "imperial ways" that they look down upon, is actually being worshipped as the "Original Emperor" by them?

This is a blasphemy to their faith!

However, not everyone thinks so.

"Everyone, be careful with your words!" The Emperor's clone, representing "Time," spoke in a voice that was old and distant, as if it spanned countless epochs. "I see its past and its future."

"He certainly doesn't bear the complete mark of the Great Emperor. But have you ever felt that core strand of 'Original True Spirit' deep within his soul? That is the unique origin that only the Great Emperor possesses!"

"That's right!" The Emperor's clone, representing "life," spoke in a voice filled with compassion and vitality. "I sensed through the Great Dao of Life that although his life form is different, his essence is the same as the Great Emperor's."

"He may not be the complete 'Yuanshi', but he is definitely a part of 'Yuanshi'! He is the wisp of immortal fire left behind by the Great Emperor before his annihilation!"

"A mere wisp of fire dares to call himself the Emperor?" the Emperor's avatar, representing "Order," said coldly, "We are ordered to spread the legacy of 'Origin' throughout the heavens, either to await the Great Emperor's 'return' or to find a 'Taozi' worthy of inheriting the Great Emperor's will."

"But he's taking his own path! He's even going so far as to overturn everything we've laid out for him and establish his own 'Great Qin'! This is treason!"

"Perhaps this is what the Great Emperor truly wishes to see." The Emperor's avatar, representing Creation, spoke in a gentle yet wise voice. "The Great Emperor's Way is 'Origin,' it is about creation, and it is about infinite possibilities."

"He never stuck to formalities. If the Emperor returned and saw that his successor had not followed his old path, but had instead forged a new, equally powerful path, I think he would only be pleased, not angry."

"absurd!"

"You are just daydreaming!"

"He must follow the Emperor's will and revive the Primordial Universe!"

The fifteen emperor's incarnations erupted in an unprecedentedly fierce debate because of Ying Zheng's existence.

They were originally the embodiment of the Tao and the maintainers of order, but now they were divided into two distinct factions like a mortal parliament.

One faction, headed by "destruction", "rules", "space" and "order", believes that Ying Zheng is a heretic and a thief who must be corrected or even eliminated in order to maintain the pure inheritance of Emperor Yuanshi.

The other faction, headed by "time", "life", "creation" and "cause and effect", believes that Ying Zheng is the hope left by the emperor and a new possibility. He should be supported and guided to walk out a "original" path of his own.

The arguments continued, and the laws of the universe collided between them, making the rules of the entire eternal universe unstable.

At this moment, Ying Zheng slowly opened his eyes.

He listened to their argument quietly, his face expressionless.

He is not Yuanshi the Great Emperor. He does not need their approval and does not care about their arguments.

He is Ying Zheng, the First Emperor!

"enough."

A plain voice, yet it seemed to contain supreme authority, instantly suppressing all arguments.

The fifteen clones of the Emperor were all shocked and turned their gazes towards the sitting figure.

Ying Zheng stood up and swept his eyes over each of them with lightning speed.

"I don't care who the 'Emperor Yuanshi' you are talking about is, or what his legacy is."

"I am indeed I. I am the Qin Shi Huang who walked out of the Qingtian World, the First Emperor who founded the Qin Empire!"

"My way is the way of tyranny, the way of the emperor, and the way of law! My path is paved with iron and blood, with conquest and order, to unify all worlds!"

"You can call me the 'Original Emperor' or you can call me a 'thief'. To me, it makes no difference."

"But I want to warn you."

Ying Zheng's tone suddenly turned cold, and an imperial power that was far more ancient and more vast than that of the God of the Rebirth Universe suddenly erupted!

"I can have good friends and loyal ministers around me, but I will never allow anyone to have two hearts!"

"You are my strength, part of my 'Dharma'. You can help me, or you can choose to leave."

"but--"

"If anyone dares to use your so-called 'Original Will' to restrain me, interfere with my ways, or challenge my imperial authority..."

Ying Zheng slowly raised his hand, and a ray of golden imperial flame danced at his fingertips.

"Then I don't mind using my 'Qin Law' to re-judge your crimes against the fifteen 'Great Ways'!"

Although the Emperor Flame was small, it made the fifteen Emperor clones feel a fatal threat at the same time!

They were horrified to find that in front of Ying Zheng, the great laws that they were proud of were actually showing a tendency to be "assimilated" and "judged"!

This "successor" not only inherited the authority of Yuanshi Emperor, but also possessed a terrifying power against "Tao" itself that even Yuanshi Emperor did not possess!

This is... the way of the emperor, which is above the great way!

For a moment, all arguments died down.

The opponents had serious expressions, their eyes filled with fear and scrutiny.

Supporters showed expressions of relief and amazement.

They seemed to finally understand what kind of terrifying "existence" Yuanshi the Great Emperor left behind.

He is not a "son of Tao" who needs to be guided, but a true "Emperor" who is capable of defining "Tao" himself!

Ying Zheng withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at them.

He turned around and looked at the void passage that led to the universe of life.

"Preach my will."

"Daqin, retreat."

"For a thousand years, do not set foot in any foreign lands."

"I, in this eternal universe, will completely merge the 'Original Emperor' and the 'First Emperor' into one!"

A thousand years from now, when I emerge from seclusion again, it will be the day when all the heavens and myriad worlds will be governed by new laws!"