Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 432 Rewards Bestowed By Then Emperor!
Previously on Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!...
As soon as the Emperor took his seat, a dramatic shift swept through the atmosphere of the Grand Ceremonial Hall.
Cultivators at the Great Ascension Realm sensed an innate weight pressing down on them—not the crushing might of cultivation levels, but a far more disturbing sensation.
Authority!
The type forged through endless years of sovereign command.
The Emperor's eyes scanned the hall again, methodically and without haste. He showed no urgency. He held back his words for the moment.
It was only when complete silence had fallen over the hall that he at last began to speak.
"Today," the Emperor declared in a composed tone, his voice moderate in volume but resonating sharply into every part of the enormous chamber, "we mark our triumph!"
His statement was straightforward.
"The Demonic Forces stand defeated and driven back. The Beast Tide lies shattered. The frontiers of the Desolate Heaven Empire stand secure."
He halted for a brief instant.
"No single person brought about this success."
His look moved across each group assembled there.
"The clans."
"The sects."
"The commanders and cultivators who fought at the forefront."
"And the cultivators who sacrificed their blood."
The Emperor gave a subtle nod—barely noticeable.
"For this, this Emperor recognizes your efforts."
Those words held immense gravity.
As though he towered over all who gathered.
In a realm such as the Starfall Empire, a proclamation like that might pass without notice.
But things stood differently in the Desolate Heaven Empire.
Families like the Bai, Li, and Zhao held status almost on par with the Imperial Family itself.
Declarations of this sort seldom—if ever—emerged in their company.
Still, on this day, the Emperor voiced it without pause.
He asserted his dominance openly.
Curiously, representatives from the Bai, Li, and Zhao Clans showed no reaction.
For they understood that mere words held no power.
True power resided in genuine might alone.
Next, the Emperor's attention turned.
It focused more sharply in a particular spot.
The Bai Clan!
And right in the middle—
Bai Zihan!
The Emperor's stare rested there just a touch longer than needed.
Not in an overt way.
But Bai Zihan perceived it distinctly.
(Hostility?)
No!
It lacked that blunt edge.
It felt more like... scrutiny.
Bai Zihan maintained a casual stance, a blank face, and even breaths.
On the surface, he appeared just as the tales described—a disabled youth showing no signs of qi.
(This Emperor...)
The reality before him clashed with the reports he had studied.
Assuming Kong Zhanhong's account proved reliable—and Bai Zihan believed it—this Emperor ought not to occupy that throne.
Unless—
(A short-term revival? Or an imposter?)
The latter choice appeared unlikely amid such a crowd of powerhouses.
Anyone but the true Emperor, known to so many, would face instant exposure.
So the former?
That made sense.
Certain elixirs could briefly renew one's life force—despite the harsh consequences later.
Yet those remained scarce and invaluable, virtually unknown in the Desolate Heaven Empire.
What truly lay behind it?
No one could say!
Another possibility: the Emperor had faked his decline for years to mislead foes, much like Bai Zihan's own scheme.
But should that hold, Bai Zihan puzzled over the timing of this unveiling.
Regardless—
Bai Zihan resolved to probe deeper into this matter.
In the meantime, the Emperor pressed on.
"Achievements demand recognition. That purpose defines this gathering."
With that, he lifted his hand just a bit.
Responding to the signal, palace servants advanced, bearing items wrapped in glowing arrays.
Though still concealed, their mere presence quickened pulses and shortened breaths.
The Emperor's tone filled the space anew.
"The foremost achievement," he announced steadily, "goes to Grand Elder Bai Ren."
The instant the name resounded across the chamber, innumerable eyes locked onto the aged form amid the Bai Clan's lineup.
Bai Ren advanced with measured steps.
This was the warrior who had struck down Gou You, a key figure in the Demonic Sect.
The one who tracked and eliminated a Half-Qilin—a being seen as pure disaster.
His accomplishments stood beyond dispute.
"The defeat of Gou You."
"The destruction of the Half-Qilin."
"Thus," the Emperor went on, "your deeds claim the top honor."
Following his cue, a servant approached and revealed the prizes. Murmurs of awe spread through the assembly.
Ten vials of crystal hovered upward, each marked by scarlet seals.
Within them, dense red essence swirled lazily, emanating fearsome life force.
"Ten vials of Half-Qilin Refined Blood."
Even Li Jianhong and Zhao Wutian failed to mask their shifting looks.
The purified essence from a Half-Qilin could reshape a common cultivator's fate.
Ten vials—
In an alchemist's grasp, they might yield superior elixirs.
Acquiring such rarities proved nearly unattainable, no matter the fortune.
Following that—
Yet another servant came forth.
A set of armor materialized in the air.
Scales gleamed like flowing ore, fitted without flaw, inscribed with intricate protective scripts.
A subtle feral aura emanated—timeless and commanding.
"A Mid Heaven-Grade Armor, crafted from the Half-Qilin's own skin."
Silence gripped the hall.
Mid Heaven-Grade!
Such an item proved exceptionally uncommon, even among elite clans.
Armed with this armor—and a Saint-Grade blade—who could genuinely endanger Bai Ren?
Bai Ren received the honors with composure, offering a light fist salute.
"This old man expresses gratitude to the Emperor."
The Emperor gave a single nod.
His focus moved elsewhere.
"The next achievement," he stated, "falls to the leader who guarded the Northern Defense Line."
Attention converged. "Commander Wei Zongyuan."
Commander Wei moved ahead.
His gear looked unadorned, his demeanor firm—but the admiration in the room shone evident.
Differing from Bai Ren's dominant personal prowess, his role varied.
"Prior to aid's arrival," the Emperor noted, "you withstood endless demonic onslaughts at the Northern Defense Line."
"Later, you steadied the field, directed the pushback, and prevented further disorder from taking hold."
"Without your leadership," he added flatly, "the Northern Defense Line would have crumbled."
Doubt found no place among the listeners.
A breach there would have devoured vast territories.
Countless lives erased.
"Therefore," the Emperor declared, "your achievement holds the second place."
Bestowals proceeded, first to Immortal Realm masters, then to Commander Wei of the Great Ascension Realm.
Afterward followed heads of clans and sect leaders, honored not just for their own feats but for their groups' roles.
The Bai Clan gained extra lands and a hefty portion of demonic beast cores along with supplies.
The Li and Zhao Clans came after.
And finally—
The Emperor addressed them once more. "Now," he uttered deliberately,
"Bai Zihan of the Bai Clan!"