In the secret chamber of the City Lord's Mansion, far from Heaven City.
Ye Litian sat cross-legged on a soft cushion, his body flickering in and out of visibility, as if absorbing all the light around him.
The light in the secret chamber suddenly dimmed, and a powerful aura erupted from Ye Litian.
"Haha! I, Ye Litian, have finally succeeded in advancing to the Golden realm!"
A boastful voice echoed in the dimly lit chamber.
The iron door of the secret chamber automatically opened, and a mass of black mist drifted towards the hall of the City Lord's Mansion.
"Tian'er, is that you? Did you succeed?"
Ye Jincheng looked at the mist and asked tentatively.
The black mist dissipated, revealing Ye Litian's figure. "It is I, your son. I have finally succeeded in advancing to the Golden realm."
Ye Jincheng said ecstatically, "Heaven bless our Ye family! Tian'er, you are truly a favored son of heaven, destined to lead our Ye family to an even more glorious future."
Ye Litian said proudly, "Hmph, how can a mere Golden realm stop me, Ye Litian? Your son is destined to be the Lord of the Blue Star."
He paused and then continued, "Father, I have calculated that tomorrow is an auspicious day. I, Ye Litian, shall declare myself king!
I will proclaim to the world that the era of Ye Litian has arrived!"
"Uh!" Ye Jincheng's face turned somewhat awkward. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but he couldn't bear to pour cold water on his spirited son.
Ye Litian spoke to himself, "I know the timing is a bit rushed, but I simply can't wait any longer."
"Tian'er," Ye Jincheng hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "How about we declare ourselves king at a later date? Tomorrow is simply too soon."
Ye Litian frowned, "Then the day after tomorrow. We can certainly make all the preparations by tomorrow."
Ye Jincheng then said plainly, "Tian'er, tomorrow is the day Qin Shilei declares himself king. I think it would be more appropriate for your coronation ceremony to be held ten days to half a month after his."
"Qin Shilei!" Ye Litian gritted his teeth and said, "He actually got ahead of me again. Just you wait. One day, I will defeat you, make you kneel at my feet, and never be able to lift your head again."
He, Ye Litian, came from a prominent family. He was exceptionally talented from a young age, always far ahead of his peers in every aspect.
On the very first day after the apocalypse, he easily found a Silver treasure chest. With the Red Enlightenment Pill obtained from it, he successfully activated his innate dark attribute physique.
From then on, his strength grew exponentially. Ye Litian began to believe he was the chosen one, the protagonist of this era.
Who knew that after the rankings were revealed, he discovered that Qin Shilei had always been far above him.
He tried his best to catch up, but the gap only widened.
Today, he finally had the capital to declare himself king, only to be preempted by the other party.
This was enough to drive Ye Litian mad.
"Tian'er, whether it's sooner or later, we shouldn't worry too much," Ye Jincheng comforted him.
"I'm fine," Ye Litian said indifferently. "I'll go back and rest first."
The next day.
The sky was clear, and the autumn air was crisp and refreshing. It was a perfect day for a coronation.
Hope City, People's Square.
The crowd was dense, and the atmosphere was lively.
"Silence!"
With a stern voice, the entire square fell into absolute silence.
"Please welcome Tan Anguo, Chief Tan!"
Tan Anguo walked slowly onto the podium with a smile.
"Today, I, Tan Anguo, will preside over Qin Shilei's coronation ceremony!"
His voice, amplified by the microphone, spread throughout the square and was broadcast live across the entire Great Xia Kingdom.
All the evolved beings in the Great Xia Kingdom were stunned.
"Chief Tan is personally presiding over Qin Shilei's coronation ceremony. Does this mean official recognition of his kingship?"
"What's so surprising about that? Qin Da Lao's ascension to kingship is in accordance with the will of heaven."
"Is Chief Tan handing over all the national power to Qin Shilei?"
"Qin Da Lao has seven strongholds of his own. Why would he need anyone to hand over power?"
"Long live Qin Da Lao! He will surely unify the Blue Star and awe the universe!"
"Tan Anguo, you traitor who recognizes a thief as your father, your name will be reviled for generations!"
"Is our Great Xia Kingdom truly on the verge of collapse?"
"The two idiots upstairs, stop your nonsensical shouting."
"Qin Shilei is one of us, a citizen of the Great Xia Kingdom. He will not only reclaim our lost territories but also lead us in expansion, planting the Great Xia flag across the Blue Star."
Although some people were fiercely condemning Qin Shilei, their comments were immediately drowned out by countless expressions of disdain and refutation.
Tan Anguo was unaware of and indifferent to the online comments. He spoke again, "Now, please welcome Mr. Qin Shilei!"
The camera shifted, and a purple figure flew rapidly towards the square from afar.
On the back of the purple figure stood one man and three women.
The man was handsome and imposing, with a pair of deep, dark eyes like stars, capable of mesmerizing anyone who gazed upon them.
The three women were all breathtakingly beautiful, making one feel inadequate, as if celestial maidens had descended to earth.
In the blink of an eye, the "foodie" landed on the podium with the four of them.
Qin Shilei and the three women jumped off the back of the purple beetle and walked side-by-side to Tan Anguo.
"The coronation ceremony, officially begins!"
An Qian and the other two stepped back, leaving Qin Shilei, the protagonist of the day, to stand alone before Tan Anguo.
"In this time of cataclysm, when the Blue Star faces unprecedented peril, our Great Xia Kingdom has also suffered greatly, with ninety percent of its citizens perishing. I am deeply ashamed!
Fortunately, heaven has blessed Great Xia and sent a peerless hero. Qin Shilei rose from humble beginnings, yet he possesses a pure heart and grand ambition.
Qin Shilei, with his Golden Five-Star cultivation, is the Blue Star's foremost peerless expert.
His strength is invincible, and he has saved countless survivors from peril on numerous occasions.
I, Tan Anguo, on behalf of Great Xia, hereby bestow upon Qin Shilei the title of King Qin An!"
Qin Shilei knelt on one knee, raising his hands to receive the jade seal and the Azure Dragon Sword from Tan Anguo.
The jade seal and the Azure Dragon Sword were both national treasures of Great Xia. While their practical utility was not significant, their symbolic meaning was immense.
Qin Shilei drew the Azure Dragon Sword and pointed it diagonally towards the sky.
"I, King Qin An, shall cleanse the universe and restore clarity and peace to the world!"
Thunderous applause erupted.
"King Qin An!"
"King Qin An!"
"King Qin An!"
The fervent shouts echoed to the heavens.
On the chat channel, various congratulatory and ecstatic messages scrolled by like a screen.
"Qin Da Lao sweeps across the eight directions and stabilizes the universe!"
"Expel the alien races and conquer Great Xia!"
"Qin Da Lao establishes dominion over the world and becomes the overlord of the Blue Star!"
"The cavalry of King Qin An advances, and enemies flee in terror!"
"Weak zombies, hateful insects, all of you, get out of Great Xia!"
"Kill! Kill them until not a single one is left!"
More than three months had passed since the apocalypse. Hunger, fear, despair, grief, and death had constantly enveloped everyone.
The survivors desperately wished for a peerless hero, an invincible evolved being, who could lead them to end this damned apocalypse.
With a wave of his hand, enemies turned to ash. He had turned the tide countless times, and in the hearts of many, Qin Shilei was as powerful as a deity.