This blackmailing tactic won the disdain and contempt of the crowd. Alas, it was working; the loyalists turned their eyes towards Li Qiye.

They needed him to make a decision during this crucial moment since he was the representative of Longevity Valley.

“If you don’t surrender now, I will have their head cut off and hang around these peaks, letting their descendants know the outcome of traitors, to be reviled for ages!” The emperor shouted.

The focus was on Li Qiye now. This act was disgraceful but also quite effective.

If he didn’t save these hostages, then regardless of whether he was a heretic or not, people would still condemn him for it later on.

Moreover, without trying, these loyalists might surrender to Everlasting. Nevertheless, conceding now would also be a defeat for Longevity Valley. Both options were terrible, leaving him in a tough spot.

Everyone wanted to see what he would do. It related to both his own life and the success of Longevity Valley.

“Looks like I must surrender then?” Li Qiye said with a smile.

“That’s right, and all of them too!” The emperor pointed at Fan Miaozhen: “And if anyone else dares to oppose us, we will kill them and all the hostages!”

“We can’t surrender.” Yalan raised her voice at Li Qiye, afraid that he might surrender.

“Then I’ll kill all the hostages first and then the rest of your group!” The emperor aggressively asserted.

Li Qiye looked at the emperor and shook his head while laughing: “How old are you? Was there a problem with your brain while growing up? To use such a lowly threat without being embarrassed, your entire kingdom must be a bunch of useless fools.”

“You!” The emperor went red again and shouted: “I will count to ten, if you don’t surrender, then I will give the order to kill all the traitors.”

“One, two, three…” The emperor immediately counted, not giving him time to think.

The loyalists who had friends taken captive became increasingly alarmed; their heart was hanging on a thread.

“No need to count, I’ll give your idiotic scheme an answer right now.” Li Qiye gently waved his hand and interrupted the emperor.

“Death to all!” With this declaration, a green glow exuded as if branches were growing from his body. He was brimming with the energy of life.

With rustling noises, old roots came out of nowhere from all the peaks, no different from iron rods or serpents and scorpions ready to deliver a fatal blow.

These roots were sharp and had unbelievable speed, capable of piercing through all armors.

“Ah!” Screams came about.

These roots instantly pierced the throat of the soldiers who were apprehending the hostages. Their cries of anguish filled the mountains.

Drops of blood dripped down and painted the leaves red. The contrasting colors became even more dazzling and beautiful.

The roots acted like skewers and dragged the bodies by the neck up to the peaks. No one saw how Li Qiye did it but he managed to kill all the captors. The origin of the roots eluded them as well.

Li Qiye was still on his throne and casually said: “So weak, fighting against this level of enemies is so boring, no need for me to do anything and a massacre will still ensue. Try a bit harder now, play your real cards, or this coup is a complete joke.”

The emperor was frightened and looked down at his own feet, afraid that the same thing might happen to him.

“Clank.” All of the masters from the legion surrounded him for protection.

Li Qiye was putting his legs on the stone table and lazily leaned back on his throne: “If this is all your kingdom can muster, then get ready to die.”

“Ooo-” The emperor blew his conch horn again.

“Rumble!” Large figures descended from the sky and lined up before the emperor like impassable mountains.

They were armors, three times the size of a normal man. If it wasn’t for the moving pair of eyes in the sockets of the helmet, people would actually think they were non-living iron men.

The symbol of the Silver Dragon Legion carved in front of their chest, but their armor had a golden glow. It seemed that their status was much higher.

Someone counted a total of thirty-six men.

“The thirty-six Dragon Sovereigns! The strongest force of Silver Dragon.” A sect master took a deep breath.

“They can handle anything.” Another clan ancestor became alarmed.

This was the true power of Silver Dragon; just this thirty-six statues alone were comparable to the rest of the legion.

They have been around since the foundation of the legion. Each was at least a True God, some were Ascenders as well.

Moreover, their armors were amazing treasures. Their combined effort could sweep through many sects and kingdoms in Longevity.

“These are the defensive pillars of Everlasting, all here now.” One ancestor was surprised. It looked like Everlasting went all out for this usurping attempt.

“Rumble!” They stepped forward in an orderly manner, seemingly capable of crushing the altar. Each step was stomping on the heart of the spectators and robbing their breath.

“Brat, die now!” One of the Dragon Sovereigns declared emotionlessly with an old voice.

“Hmm, what to do now? I have too many techniques, not sure what to use to kill all of you. After all, I’m a stylish person, have to do it right.”

With that, he tapped his throne in contemplation before giving an order: “Little girls, brew me a good pot of tea, I need to think about an elegant method to turn Everlasting to ashes. Killing millions demands so since it is an art. I have to do my best to appreciate it.”

The three sisters immediately prepared a fire next to the throne to make some tea for him.

People thought the guy was crazy, acting so leisurely in this key moment.

“Die!” One of the thirty-six sovereigns couldn’t stand this and rushed forward.