I Am The Emperor, And I Will Be It Forever

Within the grand and magnificent throne room, sunlight streamed through the beautifully adorned stained glass windows, revealing a young man seated motionless on the exalted throne. The white garment he wore was lavishly adorned with gems, and his posture exuded an elegance befitting his position.

Suddenly, the young man's eyes snapped open. His bright red eyes gleamed like jewels washed in moonlight, simultaneously captivating and fearsome. He jolted in shock, his pale face revealing his first confused words.

"I'm not dead yet? No… where is this place? Why does everything seem so strange?"

As he grappled with the situation, memories surged into his mind rapidly, like a torrent flooding his consciousness. Yet the young man did not display any pain or anguish. His red eyes remained calm, as if accustomed to such pain for a long time.

The memories revealed this new world, a world of cultivation where people could cultivate power to live long lives, soar through the skies, or destroy mountains with a single palm. This world was filled with dynasties and sects, and the young man on the throne was the Emperor of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, residing in the Star Continent, it's a small part of this vast world. The cultivation levels in this world were divided into 12 realms, with each major realm containing 9 sub-levels:

Qi condition

Foundation 

Spirit Sea

Golden Core

Soul Formation

Nirvana

Transcendent

Saint

Saint King

Saint Emperor

Half-Emperor

Great Emperor

Li Huang sat on the throne with a graceful posture, though his heart was full of confusion and bitterness. After recalling what his father had left behind, a cruel truth slowly emerged. His father, the previous emperor who had never shown love or kindness to him, had assigned him the throne not because of his ability or suitability, but because he was seen as a fool—one without the power or authority to truly rule the dynasty.

His father knew well that if Li Huang were left on the throne, the Heavenly Flame Dynasty would continue to decline, and the people would suffer. His father's plan was to make Li Huang a mere bait, a lure to attract his ambitious siblings to come and kill him in their quest for the throne. Many rumors were spread about Li Huang—that he was a lecherous tyrant who killed indiscriminately—and these rumors were widespread across the Heavenly Flame Dynasty. Many people wanted him dead, including the majority of the citizens, who suffered from the emperor's perceived incompetence.

Whoever killed Li Huang would immediately become the next emperor, regarded as the one who could restore faith and confidence in the dynasty by eliminating such a puppet ruler, and they would gain the full support of the people.

"What a despicable old man…" Li Huang muttered to himself with a bitter smile. "I died in my old world, and now I'm supposed to die quickly in this new one too?"

A voice interrupted his thoughts.

[Ding!!!]

But Li Huang's attention wasn't on the sound. He sensed something unusual—a figure was moving rapidly toward him!

As the shadow drew near, Li Huang showed no sign of panic. His face remained calm, as if he had grown accustomed to countless battles. In an instant, he tilted his head to dodge the attack with ease, countering with a precise punch to the nape of the shadowy figure.

The punch landed with force, and the assailant was knocked unconscious instantly, collapsing to the ground before being able to react. Li Huang quietly stood up, observing the body for a moment before picking up the enemy's sword. The blade wasn't too heavy in his hand, and in the same moment, Li Huang slashed down at the neck of the unconscious figure. Blood sprayed everywhere, staining him completely. The metallic scent of blood filled the room.

"Come out," Li Huang called out coldly, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand.

His bright red eyes gleamed fiercely. The once weak and powerless expression was now filled with coldness and killing intent, as more shadows began to emerge from the dark corners of the room.

The nine shadowy figures lurking in the darkness simultaneously lunged toward Li Huang. Their sole objective was to kill the cultivation-less Li Huang. He saw their swords glinting menacingly in the moonlight streaming through the windows, the sound of the wind slicing through the air in tandem with the speed of their relentless attacks.

Despite the nine swords striking at once, Li Huang managed to dodge almost all of them. His movements were like the wind, even the sharpest blades missed their mark unexpectedly. In the perfect moment, he counterattacked swiftly, each strike aimed precisely at the vital points of the shadows.

Soon, the sound of bodies hitting the floor echoed. Five shadowy figures lay lifeless in a matter of moments. However, though Li Huang had dealt with half of his enemies, his body was in poor condition. Blood seeped from multiple wounds, staining his white clothes with both his own blood and that of his enemies.

One of the remaining shadows spoke in shock, "You have no cultivation, do you? How are you this strong?"

Another shadow chimed in, "The Eighth Prince, whom they say is weak and incompetent, has hidden such abilities... You must die today."

Li Huang sneered, his gaze cold and ruthless as he looked at his enemies. "I'm not strong... it's you who are too weak!" he said, charging at the shadows without hesitation.

The four remaining shadows attempted to dodge Li Huang's sword with ease. They were so panicked that they forgot the man before them was supposedly an ordinary person. Three leaped back, while one ducked in place. In an instant, a small blade concealed in Li Huang's sleeve was drawn swiftly. He mercilessly stabbed it into the neck of the ducking shadow. Blood spurted from the severed neck, and the shadow collapsed at his feet.

The remaining three shadows witnessed this and were stunned by Li Huang's combat skill and cold ruthlessness. His body, drenched in crimson blood, and his fiery red eyes struck fear deep into their hearts.

One of the shadows said, "It's not that he's strong—it's because we can't hit him! And even when we do, it doesn't do much harm."

Another shadow said, "I have a plan."

The three remaining shadows exchanged quick glances before rushing toward Li Huang from three directions simultaneously. Their speed and power were extraordinary, yet Li Huang continued to move swiftly. He easily evaded their attacks, and with one quick counter, he stabbed the neck of one shadow. Blood splattered out.

But suddenly, that shadow didn't fall as expected. Instead, it grabbed onto Li Huang's sword tightly, its cold eyes glaring at him. Li Huang was forced to release the sword quickly. He attempted to draw another blade from his sleeve, but before he could, one of the other shadows from the side charged toward him. It gathered spiritual energy into its sword and thrust it precisely toward Li Huang's heart.

Thud! The blade pierced through his body. Li Huang felt an icy chill invade his chest as blood poured from his mouth. He slowly sank to the ground, lying still.

The two remaining shadows glanced at each other. They cautiously approached Li Huang's motionless body, checking to ensure that he had truly perished…

Thud! A sword suddenly pierced through their necks! The two shadows widened their eyes in shock as their bodies crumbled beside Li Huang's, unable to utter a sound before their final breaths escaped them.

Li Huang, who had been lying still, stirred. He slowly rose, like a spirit returned from the dead. His eyes were filled with fierce determination. Blood continued to pour from the wound in his heart, but he remained conscious enough to administer first aid to himself urgently.

As he struggled to stop the bleeding and suppress the pain, Li Huang muttered weakly, "System… where are you?"

Suddenly, the voice he had been waiting for echoed in his mind.

[ (⊙ _ ⊙) ]

[Erm… do you still need me?]

Li Huang smirked, even though he was gravely wounded. His resolve remained firm. "Of course... I still need you."