I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 678 gave me such a good excuse, why shouldn't I take this opportunity to get rid of you? (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)
"Bang!" Emperor Ivan slammed the secret report in his hand to the ground, veins bulging on his forehead, his face ashen, and his chest heaving violently with extreme anger.

"Urgh! How dare he! How dare he kill Vladimir!!!"

The roar shook the dust off the palace beams and pillars.

The killing of Vladimir was not just the loss of a top fighter; it was a humiliation of the imperial power, a resounding slap in the face to Emperor Ivan in front of the whole world!

How could he tolerate such a humiliating disgrace? He wished he could immediately raise his army, flatten the northern lands, and tear that arrogant ancestor of witches to pieces!

"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please reconsider!" A group of ministers hurriedly knelt down to dissuade him.

"Your Majesty, the Southern Tian Ce army is poised to strike. Our defenses have only just been stabilized; we cannot afford any further turmoil!"

"Your Majesty, the rebel Sergei is gaining momentum and has already captured several cities, heading straight for the capital. We must not make another powerful enemy at this time!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. That Witch Ancestor was able to easily kill Venerable Vladimir. His strength is unfathomable. The wizards of the North now all revere him. His power is immense. If we were to launch a campaign against him now, it might trigger a civil war, plunging our dynasty into a desperate situation where we are attacked from the north, south, and west! At that time, the Great Luo will be in grave danger!"

The ministers spoke one after another, all analyzing the harsh reality.

Ivan listened to these words of advice as if he had been doused with buckets of cold water.

He knew perfectly well that the bigger picture was more important, but this feeling of humiliation was simmering inside him, making him want to explode!

Are we just going to let it go like this? We can only watch helplessly as that traitor who defies imperial authority reigns supreme in the north.
Ivan clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, and blood seeped out between his fingers, but he was completely unaware of it.

This unprecedented sense of frustration and powerlessness nearly drove this usually stubborn emperor mad.

In the end, Ivan held back.

What could he do if he couldn't bear it? As the ruler of a country, basic reason and a sense of the bigger picture forced him to endure.

Throughout history, few emperors would choose to fight to the death with one of their powerful enemies when surrounded by enemies on all sides; that would be tantamount to courting their own destruction.

A normal emperor would choose to be patient, stabilize the situation first, and then plan for the future.

Although Ivan was furious, he still had the ability to weigh the pros and cons.

However, who would have thought that while Ivan could endure it, Li Chen could not?

At this moment, the name of Li Chen, the ancestor of witches, has spread like wildfire, with his followers increasing to hundreds of thousands, spreading throughout the northern lands and the surrounding vast areas.

These tribes that submitted were not weak groups, but rather powerful and exceptionally talented.

Their tribe has a very high proportion of shamans, and shamans often have a great deal of influence and power within the tribe.

As the Ancestor of Wizards, Li Chen is the symbol of the source of all wizard bloodlines, a living totem!
Which wizard would dare disobey the orders of the Ancestor of Wizards? The awe and piety that came from the depths of their blood made them regard Li Chen's commands as divine pronouncements. Moreover, this Ancestor of Wizards was not just a figurehead; he had a real and terrifying record of killing the renowned saint Vladimir, which left no one daring to question his strength.

All that remains is fanatical worship.

Inside the majestic Hall of the Witch Ancestor, Li Chen sat high on a throne forged from stars and bones, draped in a radiant robe of the Witch Ancestor, and holding the "Words of the Stars" scepter.

Beneath the throne, tens of thousands of people knelt in a dense, dark mass!
These are only the tribal leaders, top wizards, and core believers who are qualified to enter the core area and worship him in person. There are countless people outside who are not even qualified to kneel down!
Seeing that the ancestral witch had gained power and had a deep-seated grudge against the royal family, the high priest Canggu felt that the time was ripe.

He stepped forward shakily, knelt on the ground, his voice trembling with excitement: "Great Ancestor of the Witchcraft! Now our Witchcraft religion has been revived, its power extends throughout the land, and its followers are as numerous as clouds! That Ivan of the Great Luo royal family is muddle-headed and incompetent, repeatedly offending the majesty of Heaven!"
Furthermore, he indulged his border generals, causing chaos and unrest throughout the land, leading to widespread suffering! How can such an immoral ruler be worthy of the throne? It would be better to seize this opportunity to recall all the shamans of the land, restore the glory of the ancestral shamans, and establish a new dynasty!

His words were practically a blatant urging to ascend the throne; he was just short of draping the "dragon robe" over Li Chen and shouting, "Please, Ancestor Witch, ascend the throne!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chen's lips curled into an undisguised smile.

He had none of the hypocritical politeness of emperors who "declined and offered three times" before ascending the throne. He directly and loudly replied: "Excellent! What the High Priest says is exactly what I, the ancestor, meant! Ivan's tyranny has caused turmoil in the world and suffering for the people. Since I, the ancestor, have received the mandate of heaven, I shall naturally restore order to the world!"

He couldn't even be bothered to act. The Great Luo Dynasty was already chaotic enough. Sergei was causing chaos internally, and Tian Ce was eyeing it covetously in the south. One more "Witch Ancestor Rebellion" wouldn't matter; it would only make the situation more muddy.

You, Ivan, have given me such a good excuse. If I don't take this opportunity to get rid of you, wouldn't I be letting down the "gift" you've given me?
A few days later, in the imperial palace of the Great Luo Dynasty's capital.

Emperor Ivan was suppressing his anger as he dealt with state affairs when a document bearing the emblem of mysterious stars and ancient trees, exuding a faint natural charm, was presented to him by a palace attendant with trembling hands.

Ivan frowned as he opened the document. After just one glance, his face instantly turned from pale to red, then from red to white, and finally he coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining the memorial and document in front of him red!

That was not a letter of state at all, but a "Letter from the Witch Ancestor to Emperor Ivan of the Great Luo" from the Northern Witch Ancestor!
The document was written in an extremely arrogant tone, full of reprimands and commands from a superior to a subordinate:
"A decree to the false emperor of Great Luo, Ivan:"
Your ancestors were merely minor chieftains on the frontier who, by chance, seized power and usurped the throne. However, their virtue did not match their position, leading to a difficult national destiny, internal and external troubles, and widespread suffering.

You have further indulged your subordinates, who have repeatedly defied the Emperor's authority, and your sins are grave!

Today, our ancestor, having received the mandate of Heaven, holds the reins of nature and commands all shamans, and is the common master of all people under Heaven. Considering your youth and the possibility that you may be deceived by treacherous officials, we have made an exception for you.

Within three days of receiving this edict, you shall personally go to the sacred altar of the Northern Ancestor, prostrate yourself every three steps and bow every nine steps, and kneel before the ancestor's seat to pray for forgiveness!
If you are sincere, our ancestor may, out of consideration for all living beings, temporarily quell the wrath of heaven and grant you a glimmer of hope.

If one hesitates or takes chances, the imperial throne will be overthrown and the ancestral temples will be destroyed when the heavenly army arrives. It will be too late to regret then!

Don’t say I didn’t warn you! "

"Pfft—!" After reading it, Ivan spat out another mouthful of blood, trembling with rage, looking like a madman.

"You bastard! You worthless wretch!! I haven't even had a chance to teach you a lesson, and you've already started shitting and peeing on my head?! Do you really think I, the emperor, am made of clay?!!"

He abruptly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, and roared hoarsely, "Issue the decree! Issue the decree immediately! Mobilize the Holy Capital's Imperial Guard, the Blood Annihilation Legion, all royal retainers, and even the ancestral guards in seclusion! Gather all our resources! I will personally lead the army to conquer the north and reduce that arrogant sorcerer to ashes!!!"

(End of this chapter)