1 Thou Shalt Be Executed

"All hail his Majesty, Cao Fan!"

"ALL HAIL!!!"

The rain of claps that fell upon Lanfeng Kingdom's new ruler was deafening to the ears. Many ministers and generals were afraid they might even lose their hearing. But not a single one of them dared to cease their endless kowtows to cover their ears. Not a single one of them.

"Death to the traitor, Zhao Han!"

"DEATH TO THE TRAITOR!!!"

Zhao Han was the original ruler of Lanfeng Kingdom. His rule stretched over many worlds and countless continents and subjugated smaller kingdoms. That is until he was noticed by a larger power. The country fought valiantly, but in the end, lost. Zhao Han's dear Lanfeng Kingdom was taken over, and he was sentenced to be executed.

Most of the population felt uneasy about this as Zhao Han had treated them very well their entire lives. Therefore, when the third shout from the invading king, Cao Fan, came, there was a riot.

"Zhao Han deserves immediate execution!"

Cao Fan felt that the whole procession was going smoothly and that the populace would not make him murder them.

Just then, a shout came from the littlest of little boys. "Zhao Han is a good person! Cao Fan is bad! You killed my father mercilessly!"

More and more dissatisfied shouts rose.

"You killed our soldiers!"

"You starved us for weeks!"

"You murdered all opposers and their families!"

"Boo! Zhao Han is forever our ruler! Cao Fan, you are a disgrace!"

Cao Fan's expression turned red, to purple, to black, to dark black.

"EXECUTE THEM!"

Guards closed in on all sides. *CHOP* *SLASH* *SWING*

His people began to die, and Zhao Han, on the way to his hanging, was touched. Tears fell from his eyes and he begged to the universe. "Please... Let me rule them with passion and a good heart one last time."

Then a voice came. "Request has been granted."

Zhao Han felt an unexplainable power rush over him. As he was ascending the platform to the hanging tree, everything turned white, and Zhao Han blacked out.

Days passed.

Weeks passed.

Months passed.

Zhao Han awoke in a white cot inside a large house, with words inscribed on it.

"Lanfeng Village. Population: 39."

Zhao Han recognized this as his old body, and his old starting village. His cultivation and body state had been reset, but his memories had been left intact. The question was... Why was he back here? This was twenty long years of conquest, backstabbing, and killing ago.

Perhaps he was reincarnated... No, no! Only beings at or above the Eternal God state could shift the flow of time, and it would take them centuries to recover. Why would such a being be looking out for him, the ruler of a lowly Kingdom spanning less than a hundred worlds?

Whatever the situation, he had to rebuild his kingdom. All his people had been loyal enough to die for him, and he had to repay that kindness by making sure that, in this life, they would be safe and happy in his kingdom. This was his primary motivation, and something he would not waver from easily.

This was Zhao Han's second life, and he wouldn't waste it.

This is the tale of Zhao Han's rise to universal domination.

This is the beginning of it all.