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

Chapter 699 Old man, do you really think I'm a fool? (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)
Things that happen in the palace can't be kept secret forever, and soon reached Ivan's ears through various clandestine channels while he was "resting" in the villa.

At first, there were only scattered rumors, and he was able to deceive himself into thinking that the concubines were just acting very well.

However, as the information became more detailed, even specifying which concubine was summoned, when, and for how long, Ivan could no longer remain silent.

He was a de facto abdication emperor who secretly controlled the court!

I thought that even if a hermit like Wu Zu was lustful, he would still have some restraint and maintain a facade of purity.

Who would have thought that this ancestor of witches would be so unscrupulous, treating his harem as his own backyard, favoring whomever he wanted, and acting like an "emperor" in the Holy Palace!
This was an absolute disgrace to Ivan, who was always assertive and regarded women and power as his own!
An ordinary man would be furious if he were cuckolded once, but this man had been cuckolded hundreds or even thousands of times!

This is no longer just a matter of being cuckolded; he's been completely stained green, becoming an unprecedented "King of Cuckolds"!
Moreover, due to the intentional or unintentional delay in receiving the information, many things had already happened nearly ten days before he learned of them, and the damage was done. This made him feel even more fooled and furious at the inability to do anything about it!
"Urg! I swear to kill you!" Ivan roared in the villa, his eyes bloodshot. He was about to gather the secret assassins and experts under his command and charge back to the Holy Palace to tear the ancestor who had insulted him to pieces!
Just as he was about to be consumed by rage, the old man Romanov appeared silently in the villa like a ghost.

"Grandson! What are you doing?!" Romanov shouted in a deep voice, and a gentle pressure instantly enveloped Ivan, causing his frenzied aura to pause.

"Ancestor! Why are you asking me?!" Ivan pointed in the direction of the Holy Palace, his voice distorted with extreme anger. "That sorcerer! He was in my harem... he... this utter disgrace, how can I tolerate it?! I will kill him today!"

Romanov sighed, walked up to Ivan, and said with a sense of world-weariness and coldness: "How can a person who achieves great things be bound by the sentiments of his children and be trapped by a mere woman?"
An emperor should have a heart that embraces heaven and earth, but also know how to weigh choices! What's done is done, and those women are merely pawns on our chessboard, the bonds that maintain our relationship with the Witch Ancestor!
"Their 'sacrifice,' if it can secure the full support of the Witch Ancestor and help our Great Luo overcome this crisis, will be worthwhile! If you ruin the entire plan now because of a momentary anger, wouldn't that be losing more than you gain, playing right into the hands of Tian Ce and Sergei?"

His long speech revolved around the core ideas of "forbearance," "putting the big picture first," and "women are like clothes."

Ivan was persuaded and pressured by him, and the anger in his chest was like being doused with cold water. Although it was still burning fiercely, he had to forcefully suppress it.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh, drawing blood, before finally collapsing to the ground with a low growl like that of a wounded beast.

He's really suffered this humiliation!

Throughout history, there may have been emperors who were cuckolded, but to be cuckolded so thoroughly, so humiliated, and forced to endure it, it is probably impossible to find another one besides Ivan!

Seeing that Ivan had calmed down for the time being, Romanov said a few more words of comfort before turning and leaving.

However, shortly after Romanov left, one of Ivan's confidants arrived late to report a message that had been deliberately blocked and delayed.

Regarding the issue of the ancestor of the witch clan's practice of taking in thousands of beautiful women from various ethnic groups and indulging in revelry day and night in the sacred cave of the witch clan.

Upon hearing this news, Ivan was stunned for a moment, then his eyes suddenly flashed with a terrifying fierce light, and a chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head!
"Romanov, you're ruthless! You even schemed against me!" Ivan gritted his teeth, realizing the truth in an instant.

The ancestor of the witches was known for his lustful nature, even in the sacred land of the witch clan. Romanov couldn't possibly be unaware of this information!
He deliberately concealed the truth and tricked himself into using the "honey trap," clearly calculating that the Witch Ancestor would go with the flow and indulge in debauchery!
And yet, without knowing it, he personally gave away his harem for the sake of the so-called "greater good"!

When things are beyond repair and you are furious, he will jump out and try to dissuade you by saying "the bigger picture is more important," leaving you to swallow your anger and suffer in silence!
All of this was within Romanov's calculations!
In order to appease the ancestor of witches, he did not hesitate to sacrifice his dignity as "emperor" and the entire harem!
"Old man, do you really think I'm a fool?!" Ivan felt a surge of resentment.

The fact that this information was previously blocked must have been Romanov's doing! His aim was to make him unknowingly complete this step of "inviting the wolf into the house"!
What good is knowing he's been tricked? Ivan felt utterly powerless.

The Great Luo Dynasty is now in turmoil, beset by internal and external troubles. Even if he hates Romanov, he has no choice but to rely on his ancestor's power to stabilize the situation and fight against external enemies. He simply doesn't have the resources to turn against Romanov now.

"Once I've dealt with the Witch Ancestor, pacified Sergei, and held off Tian Ce, Romanov, you just wait! I will repay this humiliation a hundredfold in the future!"

Ivan made a solemn vow in his heart, burying his resentment towards Romanov deep within himself.

This incident completely shattered the already fragile trust between him and Romanov, and the so-called "unity of purpose" was nothing but a mirage.

Meanwhile, in the eastern part of the Daluo Dynasty, Tuoba Zhenzheng led his old troops, like tigers among sheep, ravaging those weak small countries.

His troops were seasoned veterans who had clashed with the strongest army in Tian Ce. Dealing with these small countries that lacked strong armies would be a piece of cake for them.

In just one week, they swiftly annihilated two countries and brought their territories under their control.

Looking at the captured concubines of the enemy country, each one plump and beautiful, pitiful and charming, Tuoba Zhen couldn't help but feel a ripple in his heart, and instantly understood why someone as strong as Li Chen also had a taste for this.

Such stunning beauty is truly captivating.

However, as he touched the "Nine Yang Burning Heaven Technique" manual he had obtained from the mysterious ruins in his pocket, his eyes regained their firmness and fervor.

This extremely yang and powerful technique is incredibly potent, but it has one extremely strict limitation.

From the beginning of cultivation until the great success, one must maintain sufficient yang energy in the body and not let it leak out, which means one must not be close to women, otherwise all previous efforts will be wasted, and there is even a risk of the body exploding and dying.

Since his defeat by Li Chen, Tuoba Zhen's thirst for power has reached its peak.

He suppressed the restlessness in his heart and carefully put away all the beauties he had captured, preparing to enjoy them properly when he had mastered his skills and had no more scruples.

Right now, becoming stronger is the only goal.

Meanwhile, Li Chen was still deep within the palace of the Great Luo Dynasty, enjoying the boundless pleasures that Ivan "generously" offered.

He seemed to have a particular fondness for Anastasia, the silver-haired, plump woman with a cool and conservative demeanor, keeping her by his side for many days in a row, showing her far more favor than the other concubines.

Li Chen didn't even use the "Emperor Dragon Bible" to directly control her mind; he simply enjoyed Anastasia's unique charm—her coy resistance and struggle between her conservative nature and her desire to be conquered.

He found the process of slowly conquering more interesting than direct control.

This exclusive favor naturally aroused envy and jealousy among the other concubines in the harem, but they could only sigh inwardly that Anastasia just happened to suit the unique taste of the Witch Ancestor.

(End of this chapter)