Cultivation Online

1428 The First Celestial Emperor
"Messenger from the Celestial Palace, what purpose do you have here in my city?" Tian Xian spoke as he gazed upon the messenger from his seat.
The messenger looked at Tian Xian's arrogant presence with a slight frown on his face, but he refrained from saying anything, as his mission was to recruit Tian Xian.
"I am here on behalf of His Majesty, the Celestial Emperor." The messenger said as he retrieved a scroll and unsealed it.
"Tian Xian, one recognized as the God of War, immortal of the battlefield, your war stories have reached even I, the first Celestial Emperor, emperor of the Divine Heavens. As an admirer of your indomitable presence on the battlefield, I hereby offer you a position in my Celestial Army as its Supreme General. As the Supreme General, you will have unimaginable authority within the army, second only to I, the Celestial Commander."
"Should you accept this position, I shall grant you unlimited wealth, unfathomable power, widespread fame, as well as any single wish within my authority as the ruler of the Divine Heaven."
Tian Xian listened to the Celestial Emperor's message with a nonchalant expression on his face. If it were anybody else in his shoes, they would've been jumping up and down in excitement over such a generous offer.
The position of Celestial Emperor came into existence about 100,000 years ago when the patriarch of the most powerful family in the Divine Heaven decided to rule over the Divine Heaven.
Despite facing considerable opposition from various factions and individuals who questioned the idea of bestowing such immense power and authority upon a single individual, the patriarch had an equal amount of support from those who stood to gain from it.
Thus, the Celestial Emperor came into existence with half of the Divine Heaven against it and the other half supporting it. With the passage of time, the influence of the Celestial Emperor extended its reach, gradually engulfing the entire Divine Heaven.
The power of the Celestial Emperor grew to such an extent that defiance against it became an act of inevitable self-
destruction, as his enemies faced swift and merciless judgment, leaving little room for opposition or resistance.
The unchecked power and authority wielded by the Celestial Emperor became a tool for exploitation, not only by the Emperor himself but also by those who surrounded him, leading to corruption and manipulation on an unprecedented
scale.
Under the dominion of the Celestial Emperor, cultivation resources, precious treasures, and even the natural phenomena of the world fell under its exclusive control. Those who did not submit to its authority were barred from accessing these vital assets, forcing all to pledge allegiance or face deprivation.
In response to the tyrannical rule of the Celestial Emperor, countless individuals came together and challenged its oppressive regime, sparking the conflict known as the Heavenly War of Immortals and Gods.
The Heavenly War of Immortals and Gods lasted for tens of thousands of years and was nearing its end with the Celestial Emperor having the upper hand. However, the Celestial Emperor was impatient and wanted to end the war as soon as possible, so he sought out Tian Xian, a renowned warlord who had risen to prominence less than a thousand years ago, intrigued by tales of his achievements.
However, after receiving the Celestial Emperor's offer, Tian Xian scoffed inwardly at the messenger and spoke in a calm manner, "I don't need such an exalted position, so I will have to decline his offer."
Tian Xian actually wanted to curse out the messenger and the Celestial Emperor, but he refrained from doing so.
Enraged by Tian Xian's refusal, the messenger's composure shattered, his voice booming with rage, "You arrogant little bastard! How dare you refuse the Celestial Emperor's generous offer?! You are just a nobody from some backwater background!"
"How dare you!" Dong Ye, who was standing beside Tian Xian immediately drew his sword and pointed it at the messenger.
However, Tian Xian quickly gestured for Dong Ye to stop and said, "Indeed, I am a nobody. A frog in a well. Therefore, it wouldn't make any sense for me to accept the Celestial Emperor's offer. You may return to the Celestial Emperor and tell him that."
"Good! You will regret this!" The messenger did not linger and immediately left.
"Haaa... I knew the Celestial Emperor would make a move on us eventually..." Tian Xian sighed afterward.
"The Celestial Emperor is truly overbearing and arrogant! Even his lackeys are disgusting! I completely understand why there is a war against him right now!" Dong Ye sneered in disdain.
"Prepare the army just in case they want to start something. We will most likely see that messenger again." Tian Xian said a moment later.
"As you command!" Dong Ye bowed before leaving.
True to expectations, several weeks later, the messenger returned with another offer. However, it was a far cry from the previous one. Instead of the prestigious position of Supreme General, the Celestial Emperor now offered Tian Xian the humble role of a foot soldier, a drastic downgrade from his initial proposal.
Tian Xian laughed at the offer and made a soldier turn away the messenger without even seeing him.
The messenger returned a month later, but this time there was no offer to negotiate. The Celestial Emperor's message was clear and ominous: either Tian Xian worked for him or faced utter destruction.
In response to the threat, Tian Xian killed the messenger and sent his decapitated head back to the Celestial Palace. A week later, hundreds of Celestial Emperor's soldiers showed up at the front gate with the intention of going to war with them.
Naturally, Tian Xian had prepared for the Celestial Emperor's confrontation and led his army to face their enemies, quickly slaughtering them.
Tian Xian's refusal to bow to the Celestial Emperor quickly became the talk of the Divine Heaven, reigniting the flames of the dying Heavenly War.
After experiencing Tian Xian's prowess firsthand, the Celestial Emperor quickly realized that he'd been trying to tame an uncontrollable monster, deeply
regretting it.