I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 496 Sect Master! Something terrible has happened! (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

Meanwhile, deep within the Eight Gates Heavenly Palace, inside a grand hall entirely crafted from Xuanbing Jade.

boom!
The entire hall suddenly trembled violently, and the hanging bronze bell rang without wind.

The figure sitting cross-legged on the cold jade bed suddenly opened his eyes, and two beams of divine light pierced the darkness like lightning.

"Who dares to cause trouble in my Eight Gates Heaven-Shattering Palace?!"

Yuan Tianhe roared, and nine purple pillars of energy rose around him.

The current sect leader of the Eight Gates Heaven-Shattering Palace had a resolute, chiseled face, with a gleaming golden vertical line between his brows.

As he stood up, the temperature in the entire hall plummeted, and layers of frost formed on the ground.

As the leader of a reclusive sect, how could anyone dare to act recklessly in his territory!

The disciples standing in the hall trembled, their foreheads pressed to the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

The sect leader has been in seclusion for three months, and today he was suddenly awakened by someone. Who can bear this wrath?

Yuan Tianhe waved his sleeve and said coldly, "Order the seven elders to activate the 'Heavenly Net Formation'! I want to see which one is blind enough to do this."

Before he could finish speaking, the palace doors were suddenly pushed open.

The sinister elder stumbled in, his face ashen: "Sect Master! Something terrible has happened!"

Yuan Tianhe stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering even without wind, and coldly snorted, "What's the panic? I already know someone has intruded on the island. Given the strength of that person outside the island, it's normal that you're no match for them. Wait for me..."

Elder Yinzhi stamped his feet anxiously: "Sect Master, please don't panic!"

Yuan Tianhe frowned: "What do you mean?"

The sinister elder swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice, "It is Emperor Li Chen of the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty who has come! He says he has come to... to inspect the area!"

Click!

The three-zhang-circle Xuanbing Jade ground beneath Yuan Tianhe's feet suddenly cracked.

The anger on his face froze instantly, replaced by a look of utter disbelief.

"Who are you talking about?" Yuan Tianhe seemed to want to confirm.

The sinister elder said with a serious expression, "It's His Majesty Li Chen! The one who single-handedly killed the Heavenly Emperor of the Taihua Sword Sect! He has countless Saint Realm experts under his command, and it is said that he has completely controlled two of the three major Dao Alliances in the cultivation world."

He said this to prevent the sect leader from acting impulsively.

Yuan Tianhe gasped, and beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

The once imposing sect leader of the Eight Gates Heavenly Palace now resembled a helpless child.

He had seen many powerful figures, but this was the first time he had met an emperor at the Saint Realm.

After all, there aren't many emperors at the Saint Realm, and he happened to encounter one.

He suddenly sprang to his feet and slapped the sinister elder on the back of the head: "You bastard, His Majesty has arrived, why didn't you say so earlier!"

This slap looked fierce, but in reality, it didn't use even a fraction of its force.

The sinister elder understood immediately, and staggered a few steps in agreement, saying with a mournful face, "I just found out myself."

This was to give Yuan Tianhe a way out, because Yuan Tianhe had just been about to deal with Li Chen, and the disciples were all watching.

Yuan Tianhe took a deep breath and quickly straightened his clothes: "Quick! Tell the kitchen to prepare 'Nine-Turn Spirit Ginseng Tea' and have the Treasure Pavilion bring the 'Millennial Meat Spirit Mushroom'!"

Even if the leaders of other reclusive sects visited, Yuan Tianhe would not treat them with such high-level hospitality.

It is clear that he still has a certain degree of respect for Li Chen.

In other words, he was unwilling to offend Li Chen for no reason.

Everyone knows that Li Chen is the true ruler of the Tian Ce Dynasty.

Having said that, he strode out of the hall, his anger vanished, replaced by a warm smile. The speed of his change of expression left the disciples dumbfounded.

"What's wrong with the sect leader?" a young disciple muttered softly.

The older senior brother next to him quickly covered his mouth: "Shh! What do you know? That's His Majesty Li Chen! It's said that countless Saint Realm experts have died at His Majesty's hands."

This statement is an exaggeration, which shows how much this senior brother fears Li Chen.

The young disciple gasped, then looked at the sect leader's eager back and suddenly felt that...it seemed quite reasonable.

On the island's shore, Li Chen stood with his hands behind his back, admiring the scenery of the fairy island.

Suddenly, I felt a sense of unease and looked up at the horizon.

A purple rainbow bridge stretched from the center of the island, and before anyone arrived on the bridge, hearty laughter could already be heard:
"Hahaha! I was unaware of His Majesty Li Chen's presence. I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"

As the rainbow bridge came to a stop, Yuan Tianhe strode over.

The sect leader, who had been furious just moments before, now had a beaming smile, as if he had just seen his own father.

He stretched out his hands from afar, his enthusiasm resembling that of a merchant who had just met the God of Wealth.

"Sect Leader Yuan looks very energetic." Li Chen nodded lightly, letting the other party hold his hand and shake it up and down.

"It is truly a great honor for our Eight Gates Heaven-Shattering Palace to have His Majesty come to inspect us!" Yuan Tianhe held Li Chen's hand tightly and turned to shout to his disciples behind him, "What are you all standing there for? Quickly prepare a banquet! Bring out my treasured 'Millennium Drunken Immortal Wine'!"

The sinister elder watched from the side, his lips twitching slightly. "Sect Master Yuan is indeed worthy of being a sect master. His change of expression is too natural. I simply cannot compare."

Yuan Tianhe's gaze swept over the crowd, pausing slightly when he saw Tang's mother, but he quickly looked away as if nothing had happened.

As the head of a sect, he knew all too well when to play blind.

If you ask Li Chen why he brought a traitor along, just wait and see if he slaps you across the face.

“Your Majesty, please! I have prepared tea and refreshments in the ‘Moon-Viewing Pavilion.’ I would be honored if Your Majesty would grace us with your presence.” He stepped aside to lead the way, his posture extremely humble.

Li Chen gave him a half-smile: "Sect Leader Yuan, aren't you going to ask me why I've come?"

Yuan Tianhe's smile remained unchanged as he replied, "Your Majesty is joking. Tian Ce governs all directions, and although the Eight Gates Heavenly Palace is located in a remote corner, it is still Your Majesty's subject. Why does Your Majesty need a reason to inspect the territory?"

This flattery was so smooth and natural that even Li Chen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

As expected, none of those who become the leaders of hidden sects are simple characters.

Li Chen also knew that he was a Saint Realm Emperor with a terrifying record of battles, and even the sect leader of a hidden sect had to be polite to him.

If a different emperor were to come, not only would the leaders of reclusive sects, but even the leaders of ordinary sects would not give him a friendly look.

However, Li Chen did not feel it was hypocritical, because this was the respect he earned with his strength.

As the group walked along the rainbow bridge, disciples of the Eight Gates Heavenly Palace knelt to greet them wherever they went.

Those disciples of the immortal sects who were usually arrogant and haughty were now as obedient as domesticated kittens.

Tang's mother followed behind Li Chen, her feelings extremely complicated.

She had dreamed countless times of returning to the sect, but she never imagined it would be in this way.

He was welcomed into the Eight Gates Heaven-Shattering Palace on all knees, all because of the man beside him.

Inside the Moon-Viewing Pavilion, the jade table was laden with delicacies.

Yuan Tianhe personally poured wine for Li Chen, and his attentiveness made Xuan Ji feel ashamed of herself.

"Your Majesty, this is 'Frosty Jade Elixir' brewed from a thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum. It is most nourishing to the soul. Please taste it." Yuan Tianhe presented a crystal-clear jade cup with both hands.

Li Chen took the wine cup, then suddenly changed the subject: "Sect Leader Yuan, the reason I came here today is actually to tell you something."

Yuan Tianhe's heart skipped a beat, but he showed no sign of it on his face: "Your Majesty, please speak. We will not refuse anything that the Eight Gates Heaven-Shattering Palace has!"

(End of this chapter)