The Five Sovereigns' council birthed wonders no realm dreamed. Vulcan's forges wove Nereia's tidal steel—blades flowing water-sharp. Gorath's stone fused Zephyrine's winds—walls breathing untouchable gales. Raiden's lightning powered Elowen's groves—fruits exploding with eternal qi. Elemental synergies fuelled trade beyond gold.
The Elemental Trade Era launched dawn one. Waggons didn't roll—they flew. Wind-escorted caravans raced across continents, and water-shielded hulls conquered seas. Frostveil lightning charged the array freight, teleporting crates instantly. No taxes choked. Prosperity pure.
Rival empires crumbled first.
Wu's emperor arrived at Shadow Gorge, broken fields, barren, legions rusting. "Your elemental waggons bypass us," he knelt, crown discarded. "Our people starve beside plenty. Integrate Wu. Taxless forever."
Huang warlords followed waggon-deep, sects humbled. "Lightning arrays blind our saints. Tidal steel mocks our blades. Claim Huang—teach Pantheon weaves."
Freeport admirals sailed tribute fleets: "Wind sails outrace our voids. Beg integration—seas shared eternal."
I met them in the open pavilion, Sovereigns flanking. Mortals led talks—Lian negotiating Wu fields, Old Wei bartering Huang ores. "Join voluntarily," I said simply. "Law same: no taxes, loyalty earned."
Scrolls signed bloodless. Wu fields bloomed Elowen-green. Huang sects trained Frostveil Thunder. Freeport fleets flew north winds.
Lu Din marked maps ecstatic: "Continents half ours. Revenue eclipses stars."
Prosperity backed by the pantheon snowballed. Vulcan's omni-forges spat elemental artefacts—wind cloaks invisibility, and earth hearts endless stamina. Nereia's tidal markets shipped fish ice-fresh. Gorath's stone roads spanned realms unbreakable. Zephyrine's gales delivered messages heartbeats-fast. Raiden's storm arrays lit cities eternal.
Rival kings watched vaults empty, bellies growling beside plenty. One by one, crumbled, begging.
The Eastern Thunder Empire sent the crown prince crawling: "Your Frostveil thunder claims our storms. Integrate or perish trade."
Southern Flame Kingdoms knelt Vulcan-deep: "Fire gods bow to you. Claim our volcanoes—taxless."
Even ancient Celestial Dragon Clans dispatched elders: "Pantheon unifies elements. Teach mortals command. Alliance eternal."
North hosted the Grand Integration Summit—thrones under blooming canopies, waggons circling endlessly. Sovereigns demonstrated: Nereia flooded Huang's bountiful rice fields, Zephyrine raced Freeport ships, and Gorath raised Wu walls instantly. Mortals advised equal—academy kids explaining weaves simply.
Fallen rivals pledged full. Emperors discarded crowns. Warlords swore loyalty. Admirals gifted fleets.
Yue Zhilan watched quietly. "Your hands broke empires."
Mo Han laughed: "Demons escort kings now!"
Elowen smiled softly: "Life feeds all."
Wen Zixing tallied impossible: "Population continents-spanning. Wealth measures stars."
Lu Din traced final maps: "Era complete. Taxless DAO conquers realms."
The system chimed realm-shakingly.
"Ding! Elemental Trade Supremacy. Rival Integration x20. Pantheon Harmony maxed. Rewards: Omni-Realm Nexus (instant travel), Dao Recognition—Taxless Eternal. New Title: Emperor of Needs."
Summit peaked feasts endless—spirit rice mountains, honey wine visions, elemental cakes sparking realms. Fallen kings danced with farmers. Dragon elders sparred with academy kids. Waggons linked worlds seamlessly.
Rivals no more. Integration pure.
At one era's dawn, empires begged for chains broken. Pantheon backed prosperity; no sword matched.
Taxless hands claimed continents—not blood, but bread.
The north breathed. Worlds lived.
Elemental Trade Era dawned eternal. Rivals knelt on waggons, not thrones.
Prosperity conquered all.