<b>Chapter 580: Decree Of The Heavenly God</b>
“This level of ancestral curse is not something we can break. This is an evil curse so we would suffer a backlash and lose our lives immediately if we tried!” Even a great existence like the city lord was afraid of the island's mist.
Virtuous Paragon ancestors died and became bloody mists in there, so even the city lord was not certain of backing off safely once he got close.
“Blood sacrifice.” The captain gravely spoke: “Any curse can be broken with this method. After all, this is the ultimate and most extreme method.”
“Blood sacrifice?” The city lord was aghast and exclaimed: “How many cultivators would a curse of this level require? Tens of thousands wouldn't be enough, and several hundred thousand is impossible since people will oppose it.”
“Use mortals! There are other races at the Nether Border, right? Humans, the Blood Race, and Charming Spirits are all fine. As long as they are mortals outside of the ghost race, we can use them for the sacrifice. If hundreds of thousands is not enough, then we'll sacrifice one million. We'll keep going until we are successful!” The captain's eyes became as cold as ice at this point. He didn't mind the price as long as he could reach his goal.
The city lord was startled and spoke with a chill in his heart: “Although there are many mortals of other races at the Nether Border, they are all living in several large cities in different places. We from the Ancestral City cannot capture so many mortals from all the corners of the world. At least, not in such a short amount of time. This is just a waste of time.”
As the Ancestral City Lord, his perspective was different from the captain's. After this matter concluded, the captain would just go back to the Ancestral Realm and would have nothing to do with the future outcome of this place.
However, he was the city lord and would still have to stay in the Sacred Nether World. What would the consequences be of sacrificing millions of mortals or even more?
“Send out the Heavenly God Decree, command all the sects of the ghost race to help us!” The captain spoke in an even bolder tone.
“Heavenly God Decree?” The city lord's heart sank. As the city lord, of course he knew the significance of this decree. This was the highest level of decree from the Ancestral Realm and could command all the ghosts in the Sacred Nether World.
“His Excellency was afraid that something unexpected might happen, so he sent me down first with the Heavenly God Decree and gave me the power to use it when necessary.” The captain explained.
“If you have the decree, then it is very good. There is no need to worry about the other powers not helping us. Please show the decree and I will send people to the sect masters of the great powers right away!” The city lord heaved a sigh of relief. To him, the amount of dead mortals was not important. Whether it was one hundred thousand or one million, all were just numbers.
However, he didn't want to be the butcher that started this whole operation and bear the sinful name. The responsibility of sacrificing millions of mortals as well as creating feuds with the other races would all be on him afterward. After the captain returns to the Ancestral Realm in the future, the Sacred Nether World would point its sharp tip at him. He didn't want to be the public enemy of all the races.
But now, with the Heavenly God Decree, all the imperial lineages and great powers of the ghost race would be dragged down with him. The entire ghost race would bear this, it wouldn't be just him.
In the shortest amount of time possible, the decree was sent to all the great powers. An imperial lineage's sect master was shocked after reading the contents and showed an extremely ugly expression.
Although cultivators looked down on mortals, for millions of years, very few cultivators stretched their hands towards them. Not interfering with mortals was an unwritten rule of the cultivation world.
Only those of the evil dao would take action against mortals. Of course, there were also cultivators who killed a few hundred or so mortals occasionally; it was not a big deal.
However, a million was a cause for hesitation. This was the same as destroying an entire city — a large-scale massacre.
These large-scale massacres were not rare in history. The victors would completely annihilate the losers; this was a common scene in the cultivation world. However, this was limited to just their own circles and the sects and clans within.
Any sect or clan massacring millions of mortals would be held in contempt by others and might be the victim of a justice crusade from the other races and sects.
“Fuck, this is forcing us to be the speartip!” An imperial sect master angrily cursed after receiving the decree.
Another one exasperatedly stated: “That old city lord of the Ancestral City is a sly fox. He won't do it himself and wants to drag us down into the mud with him.”
Many imperial lineages and great powers convened because this situation was too serious.
“Should we carry out this Heavenly God Decree?” An imperial lineage started the meeting.
The decree clearly stated that any sect who collects a million would enjoy a supreme technique from the Ancestral Realm. These techniques that originated at the beginning of the ghost race were very tempting to the great powers, but they were nothing to the imperial lineages. They had emperor's laws and did not lust after the original ghost techniques.
These imperial lineages were not moved by the decree at all and didn't want to carry it out compared to the great powers.
However, one imperial lineage stated their worries: “Who dares to not carry out the Heavenly God Decree? Do you want a visit from the Heavenly God the next time the portal opens?”
A few great powers were upset but had no choice except to follow the order: “The Ancestral City is dragging us down with them.”
On the other hand, some great powers were eager and excited. A sect master from this group exclaimed with vigor: “A supreme origin technique — our sect needs such a technique! Destroying one city for the captain to trade for one… So what if one million mortals must die?!”
A few great powers were very biased, especially against the human race, so they were especially happy and had bloodthirsty eyes the moment they saw the decree: “We should already have taught these races a lesson, especially the humans. Hmph! Let them know that we ghosts are the rulers of the Sacred Nether World!”
Another side showed their utmost support in the face of this decree: “The order of the Heavenly God shall be carried out by the myriad races! This is our glory!”
They hoped to utilize this rare chance to earn some merit for the Ancestral Realm. Perhaps in the future, they could even send their disciples up there to strengthen their sects and countries.
In an instant, many great powers took action; even their ancestors personally took on the task. A few imperial lineages disliked the decree but had no choice outside of acquiescing.
The decree represented the will of the Heavenly God, a decree of the highest level in the Ancestral Realm.
Very few people or sects in the Sacred Nether World would dare to oppose such a decree. No one wanted to antagonize the Ancestral Realm since they didn't want a personal visit from the Heavenly God at the next opening of the portal. This was not a favorable event or anything and perhaps could end in sect-destruction.
Thus, after accepting the decree, whether willing or not, many sects took action.
However, this was not something absolute, and there were those who dared to oppose the decree. When this decree landed on the table of the Myriad Bones Throne's sect master, after reading it once, he handed it back right in front of the Ancestral City's messenger.
He rejected the decree and told the messenger: “We, the Myriad Bones Throne, will not become involved in such a thing. The Ancestral City's business has nothing to do with us.”
Both the Ancestral City and the captain of the Divine Guard were at a loss of what to do against the throne of bones' refusal to comply. Both the Ancestral City and Ancestral Realm couldn't punish the throne of bones, at least, not at the moment.
The Ancestral City was indeed powerful, but the throne was even stronger. One sect with three emperors allowed them to conduct themselves with pride against any lineage or power.
The Ancestral Realm was stronger than the throne, but this was the Sacred Nether World and not the Ancestral Realm. It was beyond their sphere of influence.
Even the descent of the Heavenly God would not be enough of a threat to the throne. After all, the throne once had three emperors so its hidden power must be unbelievable. Who knew what terrifying existences could be sealed beneath the throne's grounds?
The throne's refusal caused many sects who hated the decree to have second thoughts.
“The Myriad Bones Throne rejected the decree. Sect Master, shall we continue with the order or not?” An elder asked his sect master.
“Are you kidding?” The sect master shook his head and said: “Of course the throne of bones dares to oppose the Heavenly God Decree! The Ancestral City can't do anything to them, and neither can the Divine Guard's captain. But as for us, it is better to just comply obediently!”
Another power who refused the decree was the Nether Crossing Swamp. Of course, it didn't outright reject the decree in such an arrogant manner like the throne of bones.