Great Wilderness Demon Lord

The darkness was thick and viscous, almost tangible, with countless whispers weaving deep within his consciousness. Xiao Yunlan felt himself being dragged down, then suddenly stopped.

The light pierced through.

He found himself sitting on a high, dizzying platform.

Beneath our feet lies a smooth, mirror-like obsidian floor, reflecting the jewel-adorned canopy hanging from the dome.

The air was filled with the cool, rich scent of ambergris, mixed with a fainter, rusty aroma.

He lowered his head.

He was wearing a dark black robe embroidered with the twelve symbols of authority in gold thread. It was heavy and magnificent, and every line of the robe exuded an unquestionable authority.

The gemstones inlaid on the jade belt around her waist gleamed with a cold, eerie light under the illumination of an unknown source.

Then he saw the steps below.

It stretched all the way to the entrance of the main hall, and even further, until the view was blocked by the vermilion pillars and the rising incense smoke—densely packed, with countless people crawling about.

They wore court robes of different ranks, the necklaces on their crowns hanging to the ground, their foreheads pressed tightly against the cold floor tiles, their posture one of absolute obedience and submission.

There was not a sound, not even breathing seemed to be deliberately suppressed. The vast hall was filled with deathly silence, a suffocating silence maintained by countless people.

Xiao Yunlan's heart skipped a beat, a feeling mixed with astonishment, absurdity, and... a slight tremor swept over him.

Is this what it means to be the supreme ruler? Is this the perspective from which one's word determines life and death, and one looks down upon all living beings?

A high-pitched yet exceptionally clear voice rang out beside him, carrying a deep-seated fawning and awe: "Your Majesty, the officials have finished their court audience. The luminous pearls presented by the Southern Frontier, the newly arrived silk from the Eastern Sea, and the snow fox furs that have just arrived from the Northern Lands have all been sent to the Imperial Treasury."

The Ministry of Works has submitted a memorial requesting the repair of the Eastern Tombs; the Ministry of Revenue has reported the amount of grain to be transported this year; and the Ministry of Justice has reported the list of criminals to be executed in the autumn… all awaiting Your Majesty's review and decision.

Xiao Yunlan looked in the direction of the voice and saw an old eunuch with a white face and no beard, wearing a purple robe, standing bowing to the side, every wrinkle on his face showing obedience.

Further down, several people dressed in scarlet and purple robes, clearly high-ranking officials, remained in the posture of bowing, only slightly raising their heads, their eyes cautiously peering upwards, filled with anticipation, speculation, and deep fear.

With just a word, a glance, or even an unintentional frown, he could determine the honor or disgrace of these people, the rise and fall of their families, and even their life or death.

This sense of control is so concrete and direct, like the finest liquor, whose mere aroma can make one feel dizzy.

A voice resonated within him, carrying a chilling allure: "Behold, this is the taste of power. You were born to stand here. Those who once scorned you now kneel before you. Those rules that once bound you are now yours to make."

The Xiao family? The Liu family? Ha, if they were in the audience right now, they'd be kneeling like this too. Accept it, embrace it; you were meant to have it all.

Xiao Yunlan's fingers unconsciously caressed the cold gold thread embroidery on the cuffs of his imperial robe.

Yes, it looks very tempting.

In his previous life, he was just an ordinary person struggling to make ends meet, insignificant in the gears of the system.

Although he is a member of the Xiao family in this life, he is the most marginalized illegitimate child and suffers endless cold looks.

He had a natural aversion and discomfort to the rigid hierarchical system that divided people into different classes.

And at this moment, he stood at the very top of the pyramid, looking down upon all living beings. With just a nod, it seemed he could trample all the pent-up frustrations of his past and present lives under his feet.

He could even sense that if he so much as expressed his dislike for a certain minister, that prostrate figure might be silently dragged away by the palace guards in the next moment.

Life and death are decided in a single thought.

His throat felt a little dry.

But at that moment, his gaze swept over an old minister who was closest to the palace steps.

The back of the man's official robe was soaked with dark sweat, and his fingers, pressed tightly to the ground, were trembling slightly, not from the cold, but from fear.

A pure fear of the capricious nature of those in high positions.

Xiao Yunlan suddenly recalled a scene from her previous life at the company's annual meeting, where the boss was giving a long speech on stage while the employees below were forced to applaud and cheer.

I recalled reading in history books long ago about the significance of abolishing the "kneeling ceremony".

I thought of the words "equality for all." Although it was far from being fully realized in the society of my previous life, it was at least a widely recognized concept and a scale in people's hearts.

The scene before him, which completely objectifies and instrumentalizes people, clashed violently with the "scales" in his heart that came from another world.

"No..." he heard a faint voice in his mind say, "This is not 'possession,' this is 'isolation.' Turning yourself into a lone wolf, pushing everyone away with fear and rules."

He loathed the feeling of weakness that required others to kneel before him to confirm his worth.

Shouldn't true power come from creating, protecting, and earning genuine recognition, no matter how difficult that recognition may be to obtain?

Below the high platform, the silent backs awaiting judgment no longer symbolized supreme authority in his eyes, but instead revealed a suffocating sorrow.

Are they kneeling before the "emperor," or is this robe representing the ruthless rules? If he were to take off this robe, who would he be?

The cold voice deep within her grew restless: "Foolish! This is the pinnacle of a thousand-year order! Seize it, and you can change everything!"

Change? Change the hierarchy with a more rigid one?

Xiao Yunlan twitched the corners of his mouth, a thought that was almost self-mocking flashed through his mind.

He slowly raised his hand, not to issue any decree, but with an extremely slight gesture, trying to get the people below to "rise".

However, before the gesture could be made, the scene before him suddenly distorted.

The obsidian ground, the canopy, the prostrate crowd... like a reflection in water shattered by a pebble, rippling, breaking, and finally peeling away in black fragments.

"Stubborn to the end!" The whisper of power, filled with anger, sank into the depths of consciousness.

The darkness did not last long, and new light and shadow quickly followed.

The deafening shouts of battle instantly overwhelmed him.

The strong smell of blood and gunpowder assaulted my nostrils, and beneath my feet lay a muddy ground strewn with severed limbs and tattered flags.

He rode on an exceptionally fine black warhorse clad in armor, the long spear in his hand still dripping with thick, sticky blood.

He was surrounded by silently standing black-armored cavalry, like a steel forest, all staring at him with fervent eyes, as if worshipping a god.

In the distance, the enemy's lines were collapsing, and they were fleeing in disarray.

An overwhelming sense of power surged through his limbs and bones.

He could clearly "perceive" every subtle change on the battlefield, the fear or courage of enemy and friendly soldiers, and even predict the life-or-death confrontation in the next moment.

The long spear in his hand seemed to have come alive, craving more blood and destruction.

If he so desired, he could single-handedly break through enemy lines and take the head of a general as easily as taking something out of a bag.

Individual bravery is amplified to the extreme here, enough to sway the course of battle and earn unparalleled fame.