"Uhh…"
The corners of the Great Xia Emperor's eyes twitched uncontrollably.This little devil—he was too wicked.
If he said he wasn't visiting as a guest…That would basically be admitting he came to cause trouble at the Qin Clan—with all its ancestors watching? Might as well dig his grave.
But if he said he was, then where was the gift?
He couldn't just hand over his divine artifacts, could he!?
Seeing the emperor hesitate, Qin Feng gasped dramatically, voice crisp and full of mock innocence:
"No way, no way… The Emperor of Great Xia came to someone's house—empty-handed?!"
The Qin ancestors felt a warm surge in their hearts.No one stepped forward to help the emperor out of this. Not after what he'd done earlier—nearly causing Yun Xiyue to die in childbirth with his reckless pressure.
Had it not been for concerns about a direct war, they might've already sent him flying with a slap.
More than that, his arrival reminded them:It was time to plan ahead.If the royal court already saw them as a threat, then the Qin Clan's path forward must be carefully carved with steel and foresight.
"Of course not! When one visits, one brings gifts!"
The emperor forced a twisted smile, each word feeling like a dagger to his own heart.Finally, he took out a small wooden box, his face twitching with pain.
He opened it—revealing nine tiny, exquisite swords, each the size of a finger, yet radiating potent sword energy.
"The Nine Swords of Changkong!"
The Qin ancestors' expressions shifted instantly.They couldn't help blurting out the swords' origin.
These were once the personal blades of the legendary Sword God of Changkong, a genius from ten thousand years ago.
Each of the nine had its own name and purpose:Slay Immortals, Kill Gods, Annihilate Buddhas, Subdue Demons, Suppress Spirits, Sever Saints, Hunt Souls, Steal Will, and Break Armies.
Together, they formed a mythical set of divine weapons, ranked among the top ten ancient relics in the Archaic Realm.Separately, they could form an unparalleled sword formation, capable of decimating entire armies.
After the Sword God's fall, the nine blades were lost to the corners of the world.No one expected this old loach of an emperor to collect them all.
The emperor looked as though he'd swallowed a live frog.
He loved these swords.Spent years, fortune, blood, and patience collecting them.
He hadn't even had time to fully appreciate them before having to gift one away.But if he didn't… he'd have to part with his personal divine gear instead.
Between the two evils, he chose the lesser.
"Forget it. Eyes closed—randomly give one!"
Just as he was about to speak—
Qin Feng, all smiles and sparkly-eyed, snatched the box straight out of his hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing the Nine Swords!"
Though he wasn't sure what exactly they were, the ancestors' expressions said everything—
These were precious!
Adults choose one. Children, of course, take all.
"I—!"
The emperor started to protest—
But the Qin ancestors, like a pack of shameless uncles at a banquet, launched into a barrage of syrupy praise:
"His Majesty is truly generous! To gift all nine swords in one go!"
"So touched! If I were a woman, I'd marry you on the spot!"
"Such a lavish gift—how could we ever repay this sentiment?"
"A true dragon of the heavens! Above worldly possessions!"
"Who dares speak of money before the emperor? Such divine intent must not be sullied!"
"From this day forward, the Qin Clan shall follow His Majesty's lead in all things!"
"Boy, mind your manners—kneel and thank His Majesty properly!"
Qin Feng dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times with exaggerated solemnity, as if paying homage at a tomb festival.
"Ding! Congratulations, host has fully embraced villainous nature: openly appropriated a rare divine artifact under the guise of courtesy.Obtained: 'Nine Swords of Changkong' — +1000 Villain Points!"
Openly appropriated?!What appropriation!?That was a gift! A royal one at that!
Qin Feng grumbled in his mind, utterly indignant.
"If you can't speak nicely, don't speak at all."
"This… this family…"
The emperor was so furious, he nearly experienced an early period.This Qin Clan really had no shame.
And as if to prove that theory—
Qin Feng, bright-eyed and innocent, tilted his head and chirped:
"Your Majesty, surely you've heard of the ancient custom—When an elder meets a younger generation for the first time, they always offer a token of goodwill?"
"Pfft!!"
The emperor nearly spat out blood—aged, spiritual, and vintage 1982.
"Is there no limit to this brat's gall!?"
"There does seem to be such a custom!"the Qin ancestors chimed in merrily, clearly intent on fleecing a royal today.
"This shamelessness…"
Even the nearby Qin disciples felt their scalps go numb.Years of service in the clan, and they'd never truly understood the Qin Clan's supreme art:
Skin thick as a dragon's hide.
"Shocking! Outrageous! The emperor of the greatest nation in the Archaic Realm arrives in person…And can't even offer a proper greeting to a child!?"
Qin Feng clutched his little chest and gasped as if the sky were falling.
The emperor had truly had enough.
He regretted coming.He regretted waking up.He regretted ever becoming emperor.
Yet—he couldn't lose face.He had already lost his swords. Now, even a gesture of stinginess would tarnish his divine image.
With a heart bleeding dry, he pulled out a small jade gourd, adorned with golden cloud-like sigils etched with sacred runes.
"The Heaven Treasure Gourd!"
The Qin ancestors' eyes gleamed.
This wasn't a combat relic, but it was a cultivator's dream.
It calmed the mind, enhanced concentration, and prevented deviation during practice.More than that—it accelerated cultivation, stabilized breakthroughs, and during combat, even restored spiritual energy rapidly.
The cost to make one was astronomical.Even the Qin Clan only possessed five, all obtained by sheer luck from outside sources.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!!"
Qin Feng didn't hesitate. With the enthusiasm of a child picking up free candy, he stuffed the gourd into his robes.
"Ding! Host has displayed a spirit of service, kindly safeguarding royal treasures on another's behalf.Gained: +1000 Villain Points."
"That's more like it," Qin Feng thought, patting the gourd contentedly."You see, System? Speak more like that and we'll get along just fine."