Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!-Chapter 1766: The Gold Statue

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The Heavenly Emperor nodded, feeling more confident about this, yet still wary of the Vampires and whatever scheme they might be weaving.

"So the vampire you sent after Wu Lieng died. How?"

"Wu Lieng killed her."

"...WHAT?! I didn’t receive that report!"

"Perhaps they didn’t know how it ended. That man is the son of the Heavenly Demon, right? I can tell he’s awakening his powers faster than you imagine. My daughter was among the most vicious of my four Archdukes, so if she lost, it means he’s truly powerful."

"Ugh..." The Heavenly Emperor groaned, frustration rising as those "loose ends" persisted.

He had been trying to eliminate that man for years, yet he always failed, or the target vanished only to reappear later.

"What’s wrong? Are you upset?"

"Yes. I’ve been trying for years to dispose of him. How annoying! Why do you interfere in my personal matters? He must die!"

"That’s what you want, but if he lives, he can supply us with rich blood. That’s why we seek him."

"Hmph. Do as you wish! I don’t care, as long as he’s out of the picture!"

"Understood. Ah, right, one of the Family Heads offering help is bringing her army of Tamed Calamities."

"...Tamed Calamities?!"

"She enjoys collecting them from the worlds we’ve invaded and conquered. She’s bringing five in total. They should be more than enough alongside your forces."

"I see... incredible. This alliance keeps proving what a wise decision it was. Thank you, Lord Xarion." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Don’t mention it. As long as we maintain our long-term arrangement, I will continue protecting your world—after we all benefit from it."

Xarion smiled faintly before dissolving into bat-like creatures formed of darkness and blood energy.

The Heavenly Emperor sighed, sinking back into his golden throne as he prepared for what lay ahead.

"Now surely, with everything we’re amassing to stop her... it should be enough."

He felt certain it would work. The entire world and two formidable factions were uniting against Maria now.

No matter how strong she was, he believed victory was impossible for her.

Just as it had been with the Heavenly Demon—when everyone turned against him, that seemingly invincible man had finally fallen.

Restlessly, he rose from his throne and approached a hidden door behind it. He stepped through into a separate chamber, a small private dimension accessible only to him, tied directly to his own power.

Inside stretched a vast hall of gold, with rivers of molten, burning liquid gold flowing along the walls.

At the center, atop golden stairs, stood the statue of a man crafted entirely from gold—long-haired, strong and youthful in appearance, clad in tattered robes.

Surrounding the statue was a massive formation lined with enormous flasks filled with bright red blood that radiated a potent aura, rich in nutrients, energy, and essence.

Dozens of gallons of this blood had been drawn directly from the golden figure.

Within that statue lived a breathing man.

"It has been many years since your defeat," the Heavenly Emperor said with a cold smile, ascending the stairs to loom over the statue. "Hasn’t it, my old friend?"

"..."

"So much has happened since then. Without you interfering, I became the Supreme Ruler of Murim. I even claimed the Divine Throne from that ancient dragon." He tapped the statue lightly, brushing away accumulated dust.

"..."

"Your sect was razed. Your people executed. Your children slaughtered. I took your wife for three days before carving her into a thousand pieces, each fed to a different beast. Your entire family followed the same fate—now nothing more than waste. The most amusing part? When I offered mercy in exchange for submission, they refused. Your wife could have become the new Heavenly Empress, yet she spat in my face despite my generosity. Hah... your whole bloodline were true little demons."

"..."

"But somehow, Fate still seems to favor you."

The Heavenly Emperor seized the statue’s head as if to crush it, fingers tightening, yet he hesitated and merely patted it before pulling away.

"Your son, Wu Lieng, is still alive."

"...!"

Something inside the statue stirred.

A faint pulse of essence flickered outward—the most it could manage within its unbreakable seal.

"He built his own pathetic little sect, but we burned it to the ground and slaughtered everyone searching for him. And yet, he wasn’t there. Fate shielded him once again."

The Heavenly Emperor began circling the statue slowly.

"It reminds me of us, back when we always had each other’s backs. Remember those days? Before you stole everything from me—before you married the woman I loved, built a greater sect than mine, and somehow won over the Murim Alliance Elders to become their leader."

"..."

"Even though I surpassed you in every way. My talent was greater, my birth far more prestigious within an esteemed Immortal Family... while you were nothing but a lowly mercenary my household employed, along with your parents. Ah yes, I killed them too. They tried to protect you—hilarious, wasn’t it?"

He laughed mockingly, patting the statue again.

"I destroyed their souls."

Then he sighed, arms crossed as he gazed upward.

"And now look at you—a mere blood factory for Vampires in the Upper Realms. Nothing but livestock. They want your son for the same purpose. It’s truly remarkable how fate can shift in an instant, don’t you agree?"

"..."

"We’re assembling an army at least three times larger than the one that subdued you. Three Vampire Family Heads, five Tamed Calamities, the remaining four native Calamities lured here along with their leader, the Golden Dragon Emperor. A demon’s church is joining too—thousands of Vampire Demons stronger than ordinary Immortals—plus my four remaining Heavenly Saints, our full Celestial Army of twenty additional Celestials, and three to five thousand Immortals."

"..."

"All this because your cursed brat brought a strange woman with him. Maybe he inherited your knack for charming women. I wonder whose heart he stole this time."

The Heavenly Emperor laughed again, reveling in every loss, every humiliation he had inflicted.

"Oh, and they’re offering the souls of your son’s disciples to their Vampire Emperor. He’ll devour them soon—no afterlife, just fuel for his power. A pity they won’t end as waste like the rest of your family, but still fitting."

"..."

"That’s all I came to say, old friend. Keep producing that fine blood. Everyone appreciates it. You’re doing well. Take care."

He turned and walked away, smiling as the statue trembled with helpless fury. Red and black auras flared briefly before being forced back inside.

The more it struggled, the deeper the Golden Curse spread.

"Yeah, stay still. Be good and obedient like the dog you are. Ha... hahahaha!"

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