Chapter 1389: Chief Strategist
In front of the grand hall, Ye Guan gazed at the gathered crowd and calmly said, "You are all free now. You may leave at any time, and I will not stop you."
Dao Zhi trembled as he said, "Supreme Emperor Guan, we were blinded by greed and have betrayed you as a result of it. It was a disgraceful move on our end, but you've shown us magnanimity by sparing our lives.
"We are deeply ashamed. We had no face to seek your presence again, but the world has become united under your rule. No matter where we go, even to the ends of the earth, we will still be your people.
"We understand the weight of our sins and do not dare ask for forgiveness. We ask only for a chance to redeem ourselves and you once more..."
With that, he bowed deeply. The others followed suit, kneeling in unison.
Ye Guan, however, remained unmoved. "I killed a big shot from the Suiming Civilization. It won't be long before they retaliate. If you choose to follow me now, you will surely be dragged into the conflict.
"And frankly, I fear that some of you may stab me in the back when the time comes. If you leave now, we can at least part on peaceful terms, with some lingering goodwill..."
"Supreme Emperor Guan!" Dao Zhi raised his right hand, and his expression was resolute as he said. "We, the people of the Dao Clan, swear upon our very souls, should we ever betray you again, may we all die a terrible death!"
Following his lead, the Dao Clan experts behind him swore the oath without any hesitation. The other clans quickly followed suit, making soul-binding vows never to betray Ye Guan again.
Ye Guan sighed softly. "Why put yourselves through this? I am a Supreme Emperor, but you know that I'm not exactly wealthy. Following me means an uncertain future. How about you wait a little longer?
"People from the Old Lands will surely arrive soon. You ought to think this through before making your final decision."