Chapter 723: The Bluff
Li Yu held the silver storage ring firmly in his hand. He looked down at the kneeling Hive Emperor. A burning anger boiled deep within his chest. This supreme being was directly responsible for the horrific deaths of billions. He had provided the apocalyptic artifacts to Lucien. He had ordered the invasion. He had turned the human domain into a massive silent graveyard of ash and sorrow.
Li Yu desperately wanted to smash his staff directly into the Emperor's insectoid face. He wanted to avenge the countless innocent people who died today and bring some measure of justice to Sovereign Thorne. But logic and basic survival instincts quickly suppressed his raw emotions.
He understood the terrifying truth. He was entirely powerless against this monster. If Xerxis realized the truth, the Emperor could wipe out everyone in this valley with a single casual thought. The only reason this ruler was groveling in the dirt and offering treasures was because of a massive misunderstanding.
Li Yu had absolutely no idea who or what had actually ripped off the Emperor's arm back in his original realm. But he was more than willing to use the Emperor's terror to his own advantage. He needed to play out his role in this misunderstanding.
Li Yu slipped the storage ring into his robes. He looked down at Xerxis with a cold and indifferent expression.
"Take your armies and leave this realm." Li Yu commanded as his voice echoed loudly across the silent battlefield. "Go back exactly where you came from and never step foot in this domain again. Do you understand me?"
Xerxis nodded his bee head frantically. "Yes, young master! I understand completely! We will leave immediately!"
Xerxis paused and looked around at the battered and bleeding Demon Lords and Beast Kings standing around. He then looked back up at Li Yu with a sickeningly eager smile. He desperately wanted to win favor with this terrifying boy and his hidden guardians.
"But before I go is there anything else I can do for you while I am here?" Xerxis offered. "Do you wish to rule this place? I could easily arrange it for you. I can wipe out these local beasts right now and establish a grand palace for you to enjoy your stay. It would only take me a few moments."
The surviving Demon Lords and Beast Kings froze. Their blood ran completely cold. Sovereign Rathor tightened his grip and Sovereign Zylith entirely stopped breathing. They looked at Li Yu with terror, realizing that their lives now rested entirely on the whim of a human boy.
Li Yu maintained his cold indifferent facade. He scoffed loudly, making sure the sound carried contempt.
"If I wanted to rule this pathetic realm do you actually think I would need your help to do it?" Li Yu asked, his tone laced with heavy arrogance. "Your offer is an absolute insult to my powers and my heritage. Do not presume to interfere in my affairs."
Xerxis realized his massive mistake immediately. He paled under his dark royal armor and bowed his head even lower until his mandibles scraped the dirt. He was incredibly fearful that he had just incurred Li Yu's wrath.
He firmly believed that Li Yu was a member of a supremely powerful clan that was touring the lower realms for fun or as part of a grand trial. Offering to conquer a realm for a noble who was clearly testing his own limits was foolish.
"I apologize!" Xerxis stammered as he began sweating profusely. "I spoke entirely out of turn! I did not mean to insult your grand lineage! I will take my remaining troops and leave this realm immediately without interfering any further!"
Li Yu watched the Emperor cower. A sudden thought crossed his mind. He hesitated for a brief moment because he did not want to break his cover or ask a question that might reveal his true weakness. But the temptation was simply too great. This was a being capable of crossing dimensions.
"Wait." Li Yu said while keeping his voice authoritative.
Xerxis froze and looked up nervously. "Yes, young master?"
"Since you attacked me in that previous realm and since you clearly possess the ability to travel across these realms, even though the cost is high…" Li Yu started carefully measuring his words. "Could you send me back to the realm where you originally attacked me?"
Xerxis blinked his large compound eyes. He thought about the request for a few seconds. He desperately wanted to fulfill a command for the young master to get into his good graces. He assumed Li Yu was tired of his current trial and wanted a quick ride back to the previous realm he was at because it was more fun.
"I am deeply sorry, young master but I cannot." Xerxis explained his voice filled with genuine regret. "While I can travel through realms I find these lower worlds entirely randomly. My abilities and my artifacts do not allow me to pinpoint specific realms in the vast cosmos. Usually I find a realm by chance and then I lock its coordinates using special dimensional treasures and blood techniques."
Xerxis gestured to the massive purple rift behind him. "I randomly found the other realm before and I randomly found this one many years ago. However, after the terrible incident where I offended you and lost my arm in that realm I was completely terrified of the retaliation. I broke off all ties with that realm completely. I shattered the anchoring treasures and severed the spatial coordinates out of fear. I have absolutely no way to get back there even if I wanted to now."
Li Yu felt a massive wave of disappointment wash over him. His one incredible chance to return to his true home was gone. But he could not show his sadness. He simply nodded his head and was looking entirely unimpressed.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"A pity." Li Yu said coldly. "Then take your forces and leave."
Xerxis sighed internally. He thought the young master was under some kind of strict trial and was hoping to take a shortcut by using his rift abilities. Xerxis was incredibly disappointed that he could not win over favor by helping the boy.
Xerxis slowly stood up from the dirt. He was relieved that he was allowed to leave with his life. But he had one final desperate request. The lingering void residue on his severed shoulder was causing him immense agony and preventing his natural regeneration. He needed the young master to call off the invisible guardian.
"Young master." Xerxis asked carefully, his voice trembling slightly. "Since I have offered my apologies and my treasures. Since I am leaving your trial grounds immediately... would you please be so kind as to allow me to regrow my arm back? The lingering energy on my wound is quite punishing."
Li Yu was completely caught off guard. He had absolutely no idea what the Emperor was talking about. He did not know about the void residue or the fact that Xerxis could not heal himself. But Li Yu was able to quickly piece it together. He knew he could not show ignorance. He had to lean into the misunderstanding and push the bluff to the absolute limit.
Li Yu narrowed his eyes and let an aura of pure anger radiate from his body. He stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
"You dare ask me for favors?" Li Yu shouted as his voice echoed like thunder across the valley. "You orchestrated a massive blood ritual! You killed billions of people in this realm! You turned this entire continent into a graveyard purely for your own greed! And now you stand here begging to get your arm back?!"
Xerxis took a step backward, his royal armor clanking loudly. He was terrified by the sudden violent outburst. Li Yu pushed the absolute limits of his acting skills. He needed a reason for his intense personal anger that fit the narrative of a touring noble. He needed something petty but believable.
"You killed a girl I had taken a liking to in this domain! I was thinking of taking her back as a maid." Li Yu roared, pointing his finger directly at the Emperor's face.
Xerxis went completely pale. The dark purple chitin on his face drained of all color. He nearly fainted right there on the ash covered ground. He had just found out that his apocalyptic blood ritual had killed a girl that this terrifying noble had taken a liking to. It was the absolute worst possible scenario. He had not just interrupted a trial, he had destroyed the young master's personal entertainment.
Xerxis immediately dropped back down to his knees. He bowed so deeply that his face buried itself into the dirt.
"I deserve death!" Xerxis cried out his voice completely lacking any imperial dignity. "I was entirely blind! I had no idea! Please spare my miserable life!"
His heart was bleeding with sorrow over his lost wealth but his desire to live easily overpowered his greed. Xerxis frantically reached into his robes once again with his remaining hand. He pulled out a second storage ring. This one was crafted from dark metal and pulsed with an incredible worldly aura. It contained the absolute finest natural treasures and supreme resources from the core of the Hive Empire. It was a king's ransom.
"Please accept this as a meager token of my profound regret!" Xerxis begged while holding the dark ring up to Li Yu. "It contains the absolute best my empire has to offer! I know it cannot replace what was lost but please accept it to calm your righteous anger!"
Li Yu snatched the ring quickly from the Emperor's hand. He tucked it safely away into his robes before the Emperor could change his mind. He maintained his furious expression while staring down at the groveling monster.
"Take your armies and leave right now." Li Yu growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous chilling whisper. "Leave this realm immediately before WE decide to take a leg as well."
The emphasis on the word “we” sent a violent shiver down Xerxis's spine. He was now absolutely certain that the guardian who took his arm was currently hovering right behind him just waiting for the command to strike.
Xerxis scrambled back to his feet. Before he turned to run, he reached into his armor one last time. He pulled out a heavy dark metal badge. It was intricately carved with the shape of his monstrous bee head and hummed with supreme authority.
"This is the highest imperial badge of the Hive Empire." Xerxis said while hurriedly handing the heavy metal to Li Yu. "It shows absolute authority within my kingdom. If your travels ever bring you to my realm, I would be incredibly honored to play host to an esteemed guest such as yourself."
Li Yu took the heavy badge and gave a single slow nod. "We will see. Now go."
Xerxis did not need to be told again. He turned toward his army that was still standing near the rift. He channeled his Qi and roared a command that shook the heavens.
"Retreat! All forces retreat immediately! We are abandoning this realm!"
The commanders and the millions of heavily armored bugs did not question the order. They turned around and marched rapidly back into the swirling purple vortex. Xerxis hovered near the entrance and was making absolutely sure every last one of his soldiers crossed the threshold. He looked back at Li Yu one final time and offered a deep respectful bow before he too stepped into the void.
The massive dimensional rift pulsed violently. The dark spatial energy collapsed inward, shrinking rapidly until it vanished entirely with a loud popping sound. The heavy dark storm clouds above the valley slowly began to part revealing the glowing moons of the lower realm.
The Hive Empire was completely gone. Silence descended upon the ash covered valley. The wind blew softly and was kicking up small clouds of grey dust.
Li Yu stood alone near the center of the battlefield holding the heavy dark metal badge in his hand. He let out a long slow breath, completely releasing the incredible tension that had been gripping his heart. His back was entirely soaked in cold sweat. He had just successfully bluffed an emperor and prevented the annihilation of this world using nothing but pure arrogance and a fabricated crush.
He turned around and walked back toward the surviving leadership.
Sovereign Morven, Sovereign Ignis, Sovereign Zylith, Sovereign Malos, Sovereign Rathor, Aquila and Seraphis were all staring at him in stunned silence. Their weapons hung loosely in their hands. The massive Demonic Alliance armies behind them were completely motionless as well.
None of them knew what to say. They had just witnessed a being of unfathomable power drop to his knees and beg for his life. They saw the Hive Emperor surrender his wealth and offer an imperial badge to a boy who spent his recent days diagnosing sick volcanic hounds.
The entire group of Demon Lords, generals and commanders looked at Li Yu like he was a terrifying monster. They had always thought he was a strange anomaly but now they firmly believed that this boy was anything but simple. He was clearly a hidden god, walking among ants.