The Imperial Trial Begins

"Not bad," Wang Hao said, looking at the battle seal in his palm and smiling like a kindly elder. "You didn't take a beating for nothing this time."

Xiao Chen's mouth twitched. "Thank you, Your Majesty... for making this happen."

He practically said this through gritted teeth.

Wang Hao acted as if he didn't hear the resentment in his voice and nodded. "You are suited to be the backbone. You have a strong resistance to pressure and can grow in desperate situations. Your explosive power isn't as fierce as Rong Xiaotian's, but your stability is higher. In the future, if I have a tough battle, I can save a spot for you in the frontal assault."

Xiao Chen's face darkened completely.

I just got a lucky encounter, and you're already calculating how to use me in the future?

Is this something a human would do?

Beside them, Ren Mingyue watched this scene and couldn't help but sigh softly in her heart.

These so-called chosen geniuses were still too green.

They thought what they had grasped was their own future.

But in Wang Hao's eyes, each of them had merely just completed a job competency test.

What category to assign them to, what position to place them in, when to use them, and to what extent—this man had probably already noted it all down in his mind.

The ten trial platforms had all been tested.

The result: six succeeded, four failed.

The successful ones each obtained a battle seal, varying in aura, attribute, and level.

The losers were left covered in dirt, their mental states broken to varying degrees.

Especially Zhao Feng, Su Lie, and Bai Zhantang—it was as if they had been slapped in the face by fate three times in a row.

Just a moment ago, they thought they were about to turn their luck around.

The next moment, they discovered that even the Martial God's trial rejected them.

This damage wasn't physical; it was mental.

Out of ten protagonists, nine had mental breakdowns.

The only one who hadn't completely broken down was Xiao Chen.

But soon enough, he was about to.

Because just as everyone thought the outer hall's fortuitous encounters ended here, the center of the entire plaza suddenly began to tremble again.

The ten trial platforms lit up simultaneously.

Battle runes converged toward the center like rivers.

Rumble—

In the originally empty center of the plaza, an eleventh trial platform slowly rose.

That trial platform was far taller, more ancient, and more solemn than the other ten.

Its body was entirely dark gold, coiled with dragon patterns and faintly exuding an imperial aura. The moment it appeared, everyone's hearts sank, giving rise to an instinctive sense of awe.

And on the ancient stele in front of the platform, a line of text slowly emerged.

—Those without the Emperor's Fate may not enter.

The entire plaza fell dead silent.

Everyone stared at that line of words. Their minds went blank for a second before they all turned their heads in unison to look at the same person.

Wang Hao.

Wang Hao was also taken aback for a moment.

Then, he smiled.

He smiled extremely brightly.

"Tsk."

"So mine was at the back."

The faces of the ten temporary workers instantly turned green.

Damn it.

After all that, were they really just here as poison testers?

"Those without the Emperor's Fate may not enter."

The words on the ancient stele were like a silent slap, striking fiercely across the faces of the ten temporary workers.

Especially those six guys who had just passed the trial, obtained their battle seals, and were feeling high-spirited—even beginning to imagine that from now on the sky was high and the sea was vast, and maybe they could escape Wang Hao's control—their expressions were now more spectacular than the last.

Gu Han looked down at the icy white battle seal in his palm, then at the dark gold trial platform in the center, and suddenly felt that the reward in his hand wasn't so appealing anymore.

Ye Guyun was even more direct; his face was so cold it looked like it was about to freeze over.

They had fought desperately for so long, only to find that the real grand prize was at the very end.

Moreover, the conditions were strictly locked.

Emperor's Fate.

Out of those present, who besides Wang Hao even came close to those words?

Yun Meng was shocked at first, but then she couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

"So..." She crossed her arms, her eyes carrying a hint of schadenfreude. "You guys really were just here to clear the path for him?"

Rong Xiaotian's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He held it in for a long time before squeezing out a sentence: "I knew it... I knew this dog emperor wouldn't just let us take advantage of him for nothing!"

"It's too late to realize that now." Bai Zhantang squatted to the side with a bruised and swollen face, his tone gloomy. "From the very beginning, we were just tool people."

"What's wrong with being tool people?" Wang Hao glanced back at them, his expression very calm. "If you didn't test it first, how would I know if this place had any traps? How would I know what kind of people this trial platform recognizes? How would I know the tier of the rewards?"

The ten temporary workers were speechless.

How the hell can you say that so righteously?

"But don't be too sad." Wang Hao added, as if showing great mercy. "At least, you didn't come away empty-handed. Some got battle seals, some took a beating, which counts as broadening your horizons. Oh right, your battle seals belong to the Great Zhou's public property; you are only borrowing them for now."

Su Lie's eyes twitched wildly upon hearing this.

What did he mean by some got battle seals, some took a beating?

So for those who didn't pass, the reward was just broadening their horizons?

However, hearing the words Great Zhou's public property, his mood inexplicably improved. This dog emperor treated everyone equally terribly.

Standing to the side, Shen Xue watched this group of so-called chosen geniuses feeling so stifled and helpless by Wang Hao's few words, and she actually felt a faint urge to laugh.

It was clearly quite tragic.

But happening to them, for some reason, it was just a little bit funny.

Especially since from beginning to end, Wang Hao hadn't lied to them.

He had even explicitly said, you guys go first.

It was just that they were so dazzled by the fortuitous encounters that they failed to see what the word first implied.

"Alright." Wang Hao patted his sleeves, his tone leisurely. "You guys rest up. It's my turn next."

With that, he lifted his foot and walked toward the central trial platform.

The closer he got, the more obvious that oppressive aura became.

Unlike the other ten trial platforms that leaned toward martial arts, battle intent, and technique, the feeling this one gave off wasn't like it was testing if you were strong enough, but rather measuring if you were enough to bear it.

Bear what?

Bear destiny, bear momentum, bear the world.

It was an almost innate oppressive feeling of high status.

Ordinary people just standing below the platform would instinctively feel insignificant and presumptuous, feeling they shouldn't approach.

But Wang Hao felt no discomfort at all.

The further he walked, the more naturally the imperial destiny aura flowed around his body, and even his robes seemed faintly dyed with an invisible golden radiance.

Yun Meng watched with somewhat complicated eyes.

She had always known that this bastard was shameless, two-faced, and brazen, with hardly a serious word in his mouth.

Yet at this moment, as he walked step by step toward that Emperor's trial platform, the indescribable aura on his body truly commanded the scene.

It wasn't simply cultivation suppression.

But rather the kind where—even if you disliked him, cursed him, or even wanted to beat him to death, you still had to admit that this guy was born to stand above others.

"So annoying," she muttered in a low voice. "Yet he actually looks the part."

Ren Mingyue stood in the back, a faint light flickering in her eyes.

She was sharper than the rest.

She could tell that this trial platform didn't simply recognize emperors, but rather recognized those who truly had the qualifications to fight for the world, shoulder the world, and rule the world.

In other words, if Wang Hao were just a useless fool who sat securely on the throne relying on his ancestors' legacy, he might not have provoked such a huge reaction from it.

Thinking of this, the subtle emotions in her heart became even more complicated.

This man looked more dangerous the more she observed him.

But the more dangerous he was, the harder it was to look away.

Wang Hao walked up the steps and arrived in front of the ancient stele.

The ancient stele vibrated silently.

In the next instant, the entire central trial arena lit up with a resounding boom!

Golden battle runes spread out from all directions, forming a massive, ancient web that enveloped Wang Hao completely. The crowd only felt their vision blur for a moment before the figure on the stage seemed to be swallowed into another dimension, gradually becoming indistinct.

"It has begun," a Wang Family Ancestor said in a deep voice.

Meanwhile, the world before Wang Hao's eyes had already transformed.

There was no outer hall, no crowd of spectators.

There was only a vast, desolate, and boundless ancient battlefield.

The sky was shattered, the earth was stained with blood, and broken weapons and halberds stood like a forest. In the distance, countless blurry figures slaughtered each other, fell, and fought again. This was not a simple illusion; it was as if a fragment of ancient memory had been directly laid bare before him.

At the end of the battlefield, a tall figure stood with his back facing him, hands clasped behind his back.

The man was not exaggeratedly imposing, nor did he deliberately release any aura.

But just by standing there, it felt as though he suppressed the entire heaven and earth.

The remnant will of the Martial God.

Wang Hao guessed the other party's identity almost instantly.

Sure enough, in the next moment, the figure slowly spoke. His voice seemed to travel from eons past—heavy, calm, and carrying an unquestionable scrutiny.

"Latecomer."

"You bear the providence of the Emperor's Path; you may enter this arena."

"However, if you wish to inherit my seal, you must first answer a question."

Wang Hao cupped his hands, his attitude very polite. "Senior, please speak. I won't claim much else, but I am very good at... ahem, very good at answering questions."

The remnant will of the Martial God fell silent for a moment.

Whether it was an illusion or not, it seemed to have prematurely sensed a rather ominous vibe.

A moment later, the voice echoed again.

"What is an Emperor?"

"How does one protect the common people?"

As soon as this question was asked, the phenomena of the surrounding battlefield seemed to sink under its weight.

Clearly, this was not a casual inquiry.

This was the core test.

If he answered poorly, let alone getting a reward, it was uncertain if he could even leave alive.

A normal person encountering such an assessment would likely think, weigh their words, and try to lean towards themes of benevolence, sacrifice, responsibility, and sheltering the masses.

Wang Hao did exactly that.

It was just that his way of expressing it was quite different from a normal person's.

He first sighed softly, stood with his hands behind his back, and his expression suddenly became profound.

"Senior, this question of yours is too broad."

"If my answer is too shallow, it is frivolous; if it is too deep, it sounds like boasting."

The remnant will of the Martial God replied, "Speak plainly."

"Alright, then I will speak plainly," Wang Hao said with a sincere face. "In my view, a so-called Emperor is not someone who sits in a high position or speaks pretty words. Rather, it is someone who, in chaotic times, can forcefully hold down a world that is supposed to be a chaotic mess."

"As for protecting the common people..."

He paused here, his expression growing ever more solemn.

"Many people believe that protecting the common people means being soft-hearted, pitying everyone you see, and saving everyone you meet."

"They are wrong."

"That is a Bodhisattva, not an Emperor."

The aura surrounding the remnant will of the Martial God shifted slightly, as if somewhat surprised.

Seeing this, Wang Hao felt even more reassured.

A reaction meant they could talk.

If they could talk, he could bluff.

What he feared most were those reckless remnant wills who refused to listen to a single word and just attacked immediately. As for this kind of ancient senior who asked questions, spoke logic, and wanted to screen candidates—it was perfectly suited for him to show off.

"An Emperor protects the common people not through mercy, but through order."

"Kill those who should be killed, confiscate the properties of those who deserve it, take in those who should be taken in, and strike those who need striking."

"As long as the world is ultimately free from widespread war, the commoners can survive, the martial path is orderly, and the weak are not casually trampled to death, then that is protection."

The remnant will of the Martial God slowly turned around.

It was a face whose specific features could not be seen, as if shrouded in the mist of time, but those eyes seemed capable of looking directly into one's heart.

"You speak of slaughter, you speak of conquest, and you also speak of taking in?"

"Yes," Wang Hao said self-righteously. "I confiscate properties for the sake of fairness in the world. Those noble families and wealthy clans consume the world's resources but refuse to give anything back. If I don't confiscate their wealth, should I confiscate the commoners'?"

"I take concubines to unite all factions. The Holy Maidens of the righteous path, the true inheritors of sects, the legitimate daughters of noble families—on the surface, it looks like beauties entering the palace, but in reality, it is forces pledging their allegiance. Fighting one less war means fewer people dying. If this isn't protecting the common people, what is?"

"I wage war to stop wars. If I don't beat the disobedient into submission now, more people will die in endless chaos in the future. Rather than letting the world rot, it is better for me to bear this infamy."

After these words fell, the entire ancient battlefield went quiet.

The remnant will of the Martial God remained motionless.

Wang Hao nodded secretly in his heart.

Silence was the best feedback.

It meant the other party was completely dumbfounded by his set of imperial pragmatism plus thick-skinned sophistry.

Thus, he pressed his advantage, his tone deeper and his expression more righteous.

"The world curses me as a tyrant. Do you believe it, Senior?"

The remnant will of the Martial God replied, "I only observe the heart; I do not listen to reputation."

"Then it's even simpler." Wang Hao raised his hand and pointed at the bloodstained ancient battlefield. "When Senior suppressed demons, guarded the borders, and established the hall back in the day, did you rely on reasoning with the enemy? Did you rely on taking a beating without fighting back? If that were truly the case, this place would have been gone long ago."

"The path of an Emperor has never been about being a good person."

"It is about being the one who, even with blood on their hands and curses behind their back, must hold the situation together."

"If I only wanted my own happiness, I could easily hide in the palace and enjoy myself. Why would I run to this dangerous demon-suppressing land?"

"I came, not for myself."

"It is for this world, so there will be one less rift, one less disaster."

As the last sentence left his lips, the providence of the Emperor's Path on Wang Hao's body actually began to circulate on its own.

It wasn't just a simple external release of the system; it was more like the momentum he had forcibly gathered along his journey—slaughtering, centralizing power, organizing the army, quelling rebellions, and taking in forces—resonating with his words.

The remnant will of the Martial God remained silent for even longer.

If it had a facial expression, it would probably be very complicated right now.

Because speaking purely logically, many of this kid's words were truly a bit shameless.

Calling the confiscation of properties fairness for the world, calling the taking of concubines uniting all factions, and calling war stopping wars—no matter how you listened to it, it sounded like he was gilding his own selfishness and lust for power.

But paradoxically—he wasn't entirely speaking nonsense either.

The providence on his body was not fake.

The path he walked was indeed a path of using the Emperor's Way to suppress a chaotic world.

The most crucial thing was that this set of arguments was inexplicably... self-consistent. This was somewhat exasperating and stifling.