Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 468 The Emperor's Arrival
—Outer Sea, Lanmeng Palace

Kuang Liuting stood before the crystal pillar, bowed to Vice Envoy Chang Xiao in farewell, and said, "I am grateful for your care during this time."

The latter accepted it readily, partly because the master and the direct line of the Kuang family were irreconcilable enemies, with virtually no possibility of reconciliation. As one of the deputy envoys of Lanmeng Palace, Changxiao Zhenren naturally couldn't get too close to Kuang Liuting, this rising star, but forming a good relationship with him wouldn't be a problem.

After all, how many years has it been since a top-grade Golden Core cultivator emerged within the territory of the Great David Immortal Dynasty? Not to mention the four Nascent Soul sects around it, even on Mount Bitter Spirit, this is considered a rare occurrence.

It's perfectly normal, both logically and emotionally.

Vice Envoy Chang Xiao smiled faintly and did not answer. He only glanced at Master Yueyin beside Kuang Liuting again, and then sneered inwardly: "Is the Wei Emperor's lineage really so desolate that they can even use such scum to protect their own family? If they really encounter a tough opponent, wouldn't they be left with nothing?"

However, he was also aware that the current situation was still unclear. The various True Immortals of the Great David Dynasty were used to playing both sides. As long as those forces that directly raised the banner of rebellion were put to rest, there was no need to worry too much about Kuang Liuting's safety.

Deputy Envoy Chang Xiao remained silent, but Master Yueyin spoke up. He was a white-haired, long-browed Taoist, dressed simply in his robes and hemp shoes, showing no trace of the dignity of a true Taoist.

Furthermore, he was extremely respectful to Vice Envoy Chang Xiao when speaking: "Vice Envoy, please allow me to report that the Southern King sent a message last time requesting that I take the Earl of Feng'en with me on my return journey. I wonder if this is permissible, Vice Envoy?"

Vice Envoy Chang Xiao raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with sarcasm: "Fellow Daoist Yueyin has asked the wrong person. Guixu Spring is not under my jurisdiction. Perhaps we should ask Vice Envoy Jin Yun about this matter."

Having followed Kuang Liuting in his cultivation in the outer seas for so long, how could Master Yueyin not know about this matter? However, upon hearing Vice Envoy Changxiao's words, he knew that his plan had failed. After bowing and thanking him, he never mentioned the matter again.

Upon hearing what Vice Envoy Chang Xiao said, Kuang Liuting frowned, then sighed. He glanced once more at the magnificent Lanmeng Palace, then remained silent and boarded the Chilong Jade Chariot with True Person Yueyin.

"Please wait a moment, Marquis of Nan'an and Fellow Daoist Yueyin,"

Kuang Liuting looked around and saw a red light breaking through the sea in the distance. Its true form arrived a few breaths later than the sound. After the red light dissipated, a burly man in a red robe was revealed.

The burly man, with a gentle expression, presented a water-stained storage bag to Kuang Liuting: "My lord asked me to go out today to prepare some local products for the Earl of Nan'an. The fourth-rank demon officer was hard to catch and escaped, but I did find a few third-rank demon officers. However, the time was too short, and there was no time to slaughter and dry them. So I can only trouble Fellow Daoist Yueyin to prepare them for me."

Kuang Liuting didn't know whether the red-robed giant in front of him was there to show off or to sincerely see him off. He simply bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for seeing me off, Deputy Envoy Chiguang. Please convey my gratitude to you on my behalf."

Master Yueyin leaped to Kuang Liuting's side and bowed to receive the gift. Deputy Envoy Chiguang dismounted and landed with Deputy Envoy Changxiao, watching the two depart.

Kuang Liuting withdrew his gaze from behind, and Master Yueyin's hand seals changed for a moment, and the mountain-patterned thumb ring on his right thumb suddenly lit up.

The sea surface suddenly caved in, creating a ten-mile-long whirlpool, and the dragon-headed jade wheel crushed the foam and floated to the surface.

The illusory image of the black jade dragon coiled around the carriage, radiating a ghostly blue light. The openwork dome, forged from spirit jade and coral, was shrouded in mist, and hundreds of bone crystal palace lamps on the carriage were lit up, reflecting the surrounding seawater within a hundred feet into a flowing turquoise.

As the spiritual light around him gradually brightened, the dormant dragon scales began to open and close one by one.

At that moment, thunder roared at the horizon where the sea met the sky. The dragon's claws gripped the void for a split second, and the entire sea suddenly became as still as a mirror—the silver fish frozen on the crests of the waves, the seagulls hovering in mid-air, and even the salty sea breeze were imprisoned in an invisible barrier.

"start."

As the shouts of the boatmen echoed from the chariot, the silk curtains trembled in unison.

Golden flames ignited in the outermost dragon's pupils, and the sea began to boil wherever its whiskers swept.

Countless translucent runes gushed forth from between the spokes of the carriage, spreading across the waves like a galaxy of light. When the waves touched them, they transformed into ice crystal lotus leaves, blooming one after another along the path the carriage had traveled.

When the jade carriage soared into the air, it created a thousand-foot-long curtain of water. The water droplets, which were carried by spiritual energy, did not fall. Instead, they hung in mid-air and formed a ring-shaped star map, making the dark patterns on the dragon scales seem to come alive and move around incessantly.

As the last dragon scale emerged from the water, the entire carriage transformed into a blue light and plunged into the cloud vortex, leaving only a trace between the sea and sky, resembling a tear in silk.

The master of Lanmeng Palace was looking in that direction when Jin Yun, the deputy envoy who had just been mentioned by Deputy Envoy Chang Xiao, spoke up boldly beside him: "My lord, if we go to stop him now, it may still be in time."

Kuang Chexiao sneered, then looked away and muttered in a low voice, "Yueyin is quite incompetent, but the Chilong Jade Chariot passed down from Mount Wumu is quite something. His escape skills are probably among the best in the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty. If the five of you can't catch up, then who will?! Me? Would I have no shame?!"

Vice Envoy Jin Yun immediately prostrated himself on the ground and confessed his guilt: "I am utterly incompetent! I am unable to share the burdens of my lord!"

"Why should I need you to share my burdens?!" Kuang Chexiao ignored the deep bow from Vice Envoy Jin Yun, and strode back to his golden throne, saying unrestrainedly, "If any of Kuang Cheyun's descendants can produce a high-grade Golden Core cultivator, send him to Lanmeng Palace for me to teach. This was agreed upon with me by that good-for-nothing a thousand years ago, how can he go back on his word?"

When Kuang Liuting was mentioned, the cold expression on Kuang Chexiao's face seemed to soften a little. He pondered for a while and then said, "However, speaking of that kid alone, he is indeed not bad, unlike the good-for-nothing descendant of Kuang Cheyun."

Jin Yun, the deputy envoy, often accompanied Kuang Chexiao and knew that the latter was truly interested in talent. So he stopped mentioning Kuang Liuting and instead asked, "Your Majesty, that Feng En Earl in Guixu Spring has not yet come out."

Kuang Chexiao raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "No rush. It's fine if I've already helped Taiyuan cultivate a Shen Lingfeng, but I can't keep asking you to subsidize me. If Xuanqiong Palace doesn't send over that piece of demon general's blood amber from Lianghedao, then that brat Guixuquan won't be in a hurry to send it back."

"Your humble servant obeys!" Vice Envoy Jin Yun bowed respectfully, then asked with a doubtful tone, "What about the supplies?"

The burly lord on the golden throne chuckled: "Put away that shabby air about you. Why be stingy with such meager resources? This kid may also come from humble beginnings, but having the 'Mysterious Pivot Body' doesn't guarantee a smooth journey."

In truth, this child, in terms of both temperament and comprehension, is far inferior to Shen Lingfeng. Even if that brat in the Xuanqiong Palace were willing to pour resources into him, it would be a stroke of luck if he could even reach the Nascent Soul stage.

As Kuang Chexiao finished speaking, the smile on his face gradually faded, and after a long while, he said in a low voice, "The year after that old man, there were events of six kings vying for the capital and nine dukes coming to the aid of the sea."

These two great wars, which affected the entire world, lasted for three to five hundred years. Not only did more than half of the Taoist masters perish, but even the Kuang family clan had long since fallen into ruin.

To this day, not only has the nation failed to recover, but even its youngest children are being granted titles of nobility. Under such circumstances, how can Emperor Wei possibly overcome all opposition and carve out a part of the Kuang family to raise a non-King of the Nascent Soul stage? I simply don't believe it.”

Vice Envoy Jin Yun could tell that Kuang Chexiao was sighing, so he didn't say anything more. After that, he stood silently without making any move.

"Alright," Kuang Chexiao said, calming himself down without needing any persuasion. He stepped down from his golden throne, patted Vice Envoy Jin Yun on the shoulder, and said softly:
"Alright, get your minds back from that shallow pool. The petty squabbles inside are nothing to worry about. I have a feeling that within the next hundred years, those four powerful families outside will make some moves again. The Abyss Mermaid Guards need to keep training so that I won't be without soldiers when the time comes."

Kuang Chexiao paused abruptly at this point, glancing past Deputy Envoy Jin Yun and then looking at the wisp of smoke in the sky. He thought to himself, "That kid really does have a bit of the old man's style. A high-grade Golden Core is indeed rare, I am no match for him. His chances of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage might be even greater than mine."

This dragon blood has bound me to five thousand years of lifespan, yet it also prevents me from breaking free from the shackles of the Nascent Soul stage! It would be good if this boy could grow up; the old man left behind this vast empire of twenty-seven circuits and over four hundred prefectures—it can't all be carried on my shoulders forever.”

Thinking of this, he turned his gaze to the three ancient swords hanging on the palace roof, sighed sadly, and left Deputy Envoy Jin Yun behind before returning to his palace.

Ten days later, Xiao Huanshan
As Fei Nanying stated in his letter, it is true that the three departments under the jurisdiction of Zhaixinglou have been preparing for war, but they have yet to take any action.

Even in Jingnan Prefecture and Dingzhou, no battles occurred. The so-called battle between the Yue family and the Tie family, the vanguard summoned by the Liangyi Sect, and the joint defeat of Jieyi Shangxiu by Wufeng Shangxiu and Yuan Buwen were all just rumors spread by three people.

Only Shu Zhengde led the Imperial Guards to the south of the mountain, while the cultivators of Wulao Mountain could not come over, because many families in the north of the mountain had been incited and started a rebellion.

It is said that the disciple of Wang Beixing, the elder of Lianghedao Zhantang who had just died at the hands of Shu Zhengde, came to join them, but he did not see the real leader. So he was unwilling and still incited the various families to raise the banner of rebellion and respond to the other families' extermination of Wei in Shanbeidao.

The position of the leader of the northern route of Wumu Mountain was already unstable, and now there is no real person in charge. Therefore, the fact that his family did not need Shu Zhengde to lead troops to help is already the result of their best efforts. They really have no more strength to send troops.

Therefore, the only reinforcements that Yunjiao Prefecture could obtain in a short period of time were the troops led by Shu Zhengde, and even the Shanbei Road troops, which were mostly destroyed, could not be easily mobilized.

According to Wu Laoshan, they still need to continue to work hard for the long-deceased Marquis of Changshun, Yao Gu, in order to stabilize the area north of the mountain.

Under such circumstances, given Master Kang's cautious nature, he naturally dared not be careless.

After all, in Gao Xiu's eyes, losing ten or so true cultivators or a thousand or so Qi cultivators in one battle could be considered "nothing serious".

But in Kang Dabao's eyes, this was a disaster that would destroy his family. If he were to suffer such a fate, he would be no different from when he was the leader of the three sects.

Chongming Xiaolou began to disregard profits and purchase large quantities of war supplies; Baiyilou's various stewards, instructors, and disciples began to work day and night to refine all kinds of pills, artifacts, talismans, and arrays.

Sects within the alliance that practiced the False Core Formation technique, such as the Stone Mountain Sect, needed to muster troops for war, and independent cultivator families in the Cold Crow Mountain also needed to report their members.

Just as Master Kang often said, if we put our hearts into it, we can always save lives.

However, Kang Dabao's efforts seemed to have been in vain. When Kuang Liuting arrived in Xuanwei City in the jade carriage of the Moon Shadow Immortal, neither side saw any fighting.

This time, both sides deployed tens of thousands of troops in a standoff, yet not a single Qi Refining cultivator lost their life, demonstrating that it was all bark and no bite.

However, Master Kang could vaguely guess that Kuang Liuting's return to Shannan would be a major event that could shake the world.

Since his own brother-in-law was being secretive and unwilling to reveal more, Kang Dabao had no choice but to discuss the matter with his fellow disciples several times, but they still couldn't come up with anything conclusive.

Left with no other choice, they could only send letters to Lady Qi, Wuweilou, and the Yang family.

Lady Qi is still in seclusion, and as usual, Master Qi asked Kang Changyi to reply on her behalf. Naturally, the two of them are unaware of the inside story. It is also strange that no one from Wuwei Tower replied. As for the Yang family in Yezhou, Yang Wuwei is out seeking an opportunity to form the Golden Core and perfect his alchemical theory. The two advanced cultivators, Yang Baoshan and Yang Yongcheng, are not at home.

After their efforts were in vain, Kang Dabao and the others did not have much doubt for long before they received a letter from the state government, ordering them to go to Xuanwei City to attend the ceremony.

As for the matter, it was not mentioned. However, the edict specifically emphasized that Headmaster Kang should wear a blue official robe and bring his wife and son, which made it seem rather solemn.

The deadline given by the imperial edict was not long, and Kang Dabao did not linger in the clan for too long before heading to Xuanwei City with Fei Shuhe and Kang Changxi.

Contrary to expectations of fluttering banners and a forest of spears, the moment Master Kang and his family landed in Xuanwei City, they sensed a festive atmosphere pervading the city.

Unable to get any information from the city gatekeeper, Kang Dabao had no choice but to go to the prefectural government office with a belly full of doubts.

According to the clerks of the Sima Mansion, Fei Nanying is currently busy entertaining distinguished guests, and Fei Tianqin is nowhere to be seen. The couple is being entertained by Fei Enhua, who is already working in the state court's military.

"Thirty-seventh brother, what exactly happened?" Fei Shuhe asked softly.

Fei Enhua shook his head for a while and asked softly, "I don't know either. I only know that recently, the leaders of five sects, namely Qingyulou of Liangxi Road, Zangchunzhong of Lianghe Road, Hehuan Sect of Guandong Road, Wanbing Wuxiang City of Yuwang Road, and Jiuxiao Jieming Sect, have come to visit in person. Other Nascent Soul forces have also sent important figures to visit."

Kang Changxi stared wide-eyed for a moment, then grabbed Fei Enhua's arm and exclaimed, "Uncle, does that mean there are at least five True Immortals here?!" The latter shook his head and explained calmly, "No, apart from the Hehuan Sect of Guandong and the Qingyu Tower of Liangxi, the leaders of the other three sects are not True Immortals."

Kang Dabao, who was standing to the side, realized that this was normal. If five True Immortals came from outside, would Bai Canhong, the Master of Zhaixing Tower, really be able to sit still? Fei Enhua seemed to have guessed what the Great Master Kang was thinking, and said to Kang Changxi, "I heard that the Master of Zhaixing Tower will also be coming in person this time, but I don't know if it's true."

The head of the Kang family was terrified, realizing that the relationship between these Nascent Soul sects and the Kuang family clan was far more complex than simply being described as "enemy or friend."

Fei Enhua was too busy to sit still, so the Kang family of three sat idly in the cave they had been arranged for for two days. But after two days, Kang Dabao became restless and was about to go to the Qi residence to check on Kang Changyi's situation as Fei Shuhe had suggested, when another imperial edict arrived from the Sima residence.

————Yunjiao Prefecture Court

"Brother Kang, come here!"

Yang Wuwei, who had not seen them for a long time, was overjoyed to see Kang Dabao and his family of three who had just arrived outside the state court. He immediately called out to them.

Seeing this, the headmaster Kang, who was full of doubts, was also delighted and stepped forward. Fei Shuhe came from a noble family, and even without any attendants by his side, he knew that after greeting Kang Changxi and Yang Wuwei, he would go and talk with the latter's wife.

After the two of them were alone together, things became much easier to discuss.

"Brother Yang, do you know what has happened?"

"Hey, Brother Dao, you are the son-in-law of the Sima family, yet you don't know this?"

Yang Wuwei looked surprised as he spoke, and then said in astonishment, "I just happened to be here today. To be honest, I have never seen so many immortals in my life. Something big is bound to happen today."

"A big deal? The real person?"

"Besides the two from Qingyulou and Hehuan Sect, there were also the Moon Hidden True Man from Wumu Mountain, the Master of Zhaixing Tower, and a Grand Eunuch from Xuanqiong Palace present. Such a grand lineup is rare in recent years."

Yang Baoshan was full of amazement, but Kang Dabao vaguely sensed something. The two families did not talk for long before they were led to the main hall of the state court by a ceremonial official.

This main hall was originally built by the Niu family of Dingnan with a thousand years of hard work. However, after Kuang Liuting took over, he first ordered a high-ranking geomancer to swap this hall with the sword-nurturing hall used by the Yue family of Hancheng.

Not long after it was used, Fei Tianqin came from Yingzhou again. This old bird felt that the Sword Nurturing Hall was cramped and small and did not match the dignity of the clan, so he started a large-scale construction project, conscripting cultivators from various families as laborers to expand the Sword Nurturing Hall to more than five times its original size before he stopped.

Master Kang had visited this place many times before, but upon entering today, he noticed that the entire palace had been thoroughly cleaned and was exceptionally radiant.

Halfway there, they saw that even Venerable Fei Nanying could not get close, and could only sit in the middle with the other envoys who had come to observe the ceremony. Yang Wuwei could not even get close to the middle, and could only sit on the edge with the two senior cultivators from the Yang family of Yezhou.

As for the core area, there are only a few honored seats, all of which are prepared with spiritual fruits and fine wines, as well as beautiful maids and handsome men. It is easy to see that they are reserved for those immortals.

Kang Dabao's family, however, benefited from the Fei family's connections and ended up with a group of top-tier Golden Core cultivators. Just as they were about to ask a question after Fei Nanying finished dealing with the group of high-ranking cultivators, the sect leader was stopped by Fei's words: "This matter was only hastily decided by the Sect Master's Office this morning. Even I and Ancestor Tianqin were not certain before. Don't ask anymore, just wait and see."

As soon as Fei Nanying finished speaking, he saw Kuang Liuting riding a dragon-shaped jade carriage to the foot of the jade steps in front of the Yangjian Hall.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, the golden bell in the hall suddenly rang, and several True Immortals who came to witness the ceremony, either riding magical treasures or spirit beasts, took their places in turn.

Kang Dabao, a cultivator from the Shannan Dao sect, had seen countless portraits of the Star-Picking Pavilion Master, yet it was only when he was nearly a hundred years old that he finally saw his true face. The remaining True Immortals were also profound and imposing, exuding an aura of authority that inspired awe and made people hesitant to look directly at them.

After all the immortals had taken their seats, another sharp cry rang out in the sky.

Suddenly, a white-faced eunuch dressed in purple robes landed on the high platform in front of the hall, riding a third-tier spirit bird. As soon as he stood firm, the four-symbol banners on the platform rose in the wind, and the entire Sword Nurturing Hall was suddenly illuminated.

The closest group of immortals, some with impatient expressions, others with utmost respect, some expressionless, and others with hidden resentment, showed no sign of arrogance at this moment, and bowed respectfully to the eunuch on the platform:

"Greetings, angel!"

"An angel?!" Young Kang Changxi was still in surprise when, in the next instant, his parents pulled him to the ground in worship, their voices booming like a mountain collapsing, deafeningly loud: "Greetings, angel!!"

The Emperor said: Rise!

"Thank you, Angel!!"

Although there were clearly a group of real cultivators below the stage, the pale-faced eunuch on the stage focused ninety percent of his attention on Kuang Liuting, a member of the royal family who had reached the early stage of the Golden Core realm.

He let out a long breath, unfurled the gleaming gold silk, and called out loudly, "Kuang Liuting, Earl of Nan'an, step forward to receive the imperial decree."

Kuang Liuting bowed deeply and said, "Your subject, Kuang Liuting, receives the imperial decree!"

The Emperor said: "I have heard that the movement of the celestial pivot requires the support of pillars and beams; the rotation of the earth's axis relies on the merits of pillars and stones."

I gaze upon the starry sky, where the Purple Star reflects the brilliance of the Qin River Valley; Heaven bestows its profound secrets, and the Crimson Clouds testify to the flourishing of the Daoist tradition. You, Liuting, possess the jade and the precious elixir, your golden elixir reflecting the Big Dipper, your nine orifices opening to the mysteries of the netherworld, your hundred bones absorbing the essence of mountains and rivers.

"I hereby command you, Taiyi Qingming, and bestow upon you the seal of the Duke. You inherit the twelvefold Daoist teachings and control the three thousand miles of dragon veins. I urge you to sharpen your sword and hone your lofty ambitions; to nourish yourself with the rosy clouds and dewy dew, and to forever cherish the heart of a child. If the snow clears from Kunlun, I will see you riding a crane soaring into the vast sky; if the dust rises from the ocean, I await your flick of the finger to reshape the universe. Respectfully obey!"

"Imperial conferment of the title of Duke? No wonder there's such a grand display." Just as Kang Dabao had this thought, he heard the pale-faced eunuch on the stage read out again: "The Emperor decrees: Kuang Liuting, Earl of Nan'an, is hereby conferred the title of Duke of Jinqin, and shall be appointed as the military commander of the Shannan and Shanbei circuits, and shall be granted the title of Grand Master of the Three Departments."

"The Duke of Qin?!" Fei Nanying's face lit up with joy, for the current emperor was already the Duke of Qin before he was granted the title of King upon reaching the Nascent Soul stage! "Ancestor Ye Sui's gamble has finally paid off halfway."

"To be granted the title of Grand Master of the Three Offices and to be the Military Governor of the Southern and Northern Circuits?!" Bai Canhong, the Master of Zhaixing Tower, murmured. Seeing that the Moon Shadow Master beside him showed no sign of surprise, he chuckled and closed his eyes without saying a word, seemingly unconcerned about the commotion before him.

Even a Nascent Soul cultivator like the Star-Picking Pavilion Master could remain completely unconcerned, but the other cultivators in the audience were all blushing. Kang Dabao even saw his usually calm and collected wife unable to hide her excitement, demonstrating just how captivating the scene was.

Kuang Liuting responded loudly and without changing his expression: "Your subject Kuang Liuting obeys the Emperor's decree!"

On the high platform, the coiled dragon pillars suddenly spewed out large plumes of purple energy, and the golden bells wrapped around the pillars suddenly trembled in unison, emitting a vast and clear sound that resembled both the roar of a dragon and the cry of a sword.

Kuang Liuting stood with his hands behind his back below the high platform, his moon-white python robe fluttering without wind, his face remaining as calm as a still well.

The pale-faced eunuch waved his hand, bestowing the sacred silk upon Kuang Liuting. At the same time, a rainbow suddenly appeared in the sky outside the city, and the clouds parted to reveal patches of warm rosy light.

Kang Dabao saw the pale-faced eunuch moving around non-stop, unaware that the latter was taking out a piece of Immortal Shadow Stone that even Kuang Liuting treasured.

"Welcome, Your Majesty!"

The pale-faced eunuch's greetings shook the great river outside the city, causing waves hundreds of feet high. Everyone present was astonished. Even the Star-Picking Pavilion Master, who had been silent with his eyes closed, could not remain calm and stood up, staring directly at the center of the high platform.

"During the ceremony this morning, did Grand Eunuch Wei mention that His Majesty would be attending the promotion ceremony with the Immortal Shadow Stone? Was it changed at the last minute?" Fei Nanying asked, his face full of surprise.

Before the cultivators in the arena could remain stunned for long, they quickly responded, led by the Moon Shadow Immortal, who was the first to react, and shouted in unison:

"Welcome, Your Majesty!"

The Immortal Shadow Stone floated up from the white-faced eunuch's hand, hovering three zhang above the high platform before abruptly stopping, only to suddenly burst forth with several beams of spiritual light.

A few breaths later, the figure of Emperor Wei appeared in the void. Although it was only a projection, the noble aura emanating from his black robe with gold patterns still made all the cultivators feel admiration.

"This crown was passed down from the time of the founding emperor!"

Even the Star-Picking Pavilion Master, who was somewhat resentful, gradually suppressed his discontent after understanding the matter. This was the Lord of David before him!
"Kuang Liuting, Duke of Qin, hear the imperial edict."

The phantom of Emperor Wei raised his hand and tapped lightly, causing the Immortal Shadow Stone to explode and transform into eight golden dragons of fortune that coiled into a palace.

As the palace gates opened, an imperial edict, made of silk embroidered with dragon-like gauze and ink printed with the blood of a dragon, was slowly unfurled.

When each character floats into the air, it resonates with the corresponding laws of heaven and earth: the title "Qin" transforms into the phantom of a continuous mountain range, the character "Guo" condenses into a surging river, and the character "Gong" manifests the phantom of nine tripods.

Kuang Liuting knelt on one knee, yet the radiance of his golden core grew even more intense. The cloud-patterned brick beneath his feet transformed into jade inch by inch, overflowing with pure spiritual energy to condense into a lotus platform.

Emperor Wei spoke again: "I bestow upon you a cave dwelling in Taiyuan for your cultivation."

A jade tablet transformed into a stream of light and landed in Kuang Liuting's hands as Emperor Wei spoke. Kang Dabao didn't know how precious this cave was, but just by looking at Fei Nanying beside him, who could hardly maintain his composure, he knew that it must be extremely rare.

"I bestow upon you a Azure Whip, to punish the disobedient."

The phantom of Emperor Wei pointed his fingers as if they were swords, and the sky seemed to be torn open. A bronze ancient sword flew out from the crack, and then slowly returned to normal.

Kang Dabao had no idea what this magic weapon was all about, but he could see a hint of envy in the eyes of some of the immortals in front of him.

"The nation is in dire straits, and the people are weeping. I hope you will not forget your personal principles and will not fail in your mission as members of the royal family."

"Your subject, Kuang Liuting, is ready! I will die a thousand deaths!!!"

Emperor Wei smiled with satisfaction. He ignored Kuang Liuting, whose eyes were bloodshot from the gratitude shown to him, and instead took this rare opportunity to greet each of the Nascent Soul cultivators.

"The affairs of the nation are fraught with difficulties, and we must rely on all of you ministers to work together with one heart."

The reactions of the cultivators varied. Emperor Wei paid no attention and remained silent, only lingering his gaze on the Star-Picking Pavilion Master who looked up for a few moments before withdrawing his gaze and loudly addressing the cultivators in the arena:
"I am grateful to all of you for attending this ceremony today. The world is undergoing a period of great upheaval, and a time of great contention has arrived! Those who are loyal to the country will have a bright future, while those with treacherous ambitions will face calamity! I can see this clearly from my position in Taiyuan. Loyal and righteous ministers will be generously rewarded!"

After these words were spoken, apart from a few real people who remained standing, the rest of the crowd collapsed like wheat harvested in autumn.

Whether it was Kang Dabao's imagination or not, as he prostrated himself, he seemed to feel the immensely powerful phantom in the sky casting its gaze upon him. And it seemed that several breaths passed without it shifting its gaze.
(End of this chapter)