The True Lord has arrived

Chapter 149 The Emperor and His Majesty, the Sword of the Son of Heaven

Whether we know the composure of the elderly emperor or Zhou Yan's temperament, we can guess that the monarch, who is not the cold, hard writer of history, has now regained his sense of self and must be very pleased with his own strategy.

But now he has no mind to care about Li Longji over there.

Zhou Yan stared blankly at the small seal.

You said you'd give me a sword.

But you didn't say that what you gave me was the "Sword of the Emperor".

The imperial seal was not large, but in his eyes it was like a thunderclap, seemingly possessing all the light, commanded by Heaven, and destined for eternal prosperity. It was hard for anyone of the Central Plains Yanhuang lineage to resist the temptation of these eight words.

pat!

Zhou Yan immediately closed the box, sealing the thing away.

After a moment of silence, he opened the box, saw the imperial seal, and confirmed that it was indeed this thing.

Then he slammed the box shut again.

Is this, is this right?
Zhou Yan quickly reviewed what had happened.

The box containing the imperial seal was prepared by Li Longji long ago. He didn't even put it in Guhuai Village because if he did, it would raise suspicions that he was exchanging it in front of everyone under the pretext of exchanging the 'Lei Haiqing Qin String'.

That's too upright and honest.

Even Li Fuguo and Gao Lishi hadn't anticipated this.

He had anticipated everything, including Zhou Yan's choice.

Li Longji, the old man who had lost everything, still used his keen eyesight and judgment to let Zhou Yan hold this hot potato. This thing was undoubtedly an invaluable treasure, but Zhou Yan, who was already in the eye of the storm, was holding this...

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Is there anything worse in this world than having a low rank but bearing the title of the Lord of Mount Tai?

Of course!
That would be at the level of a mere eighth-grade cultivator, possessing the Dao Fruit of the Lord of Mount Tai, and holding the Imperial Seal of the State, capable of stirring up storms and wars throughout the world.

What's worse than one huge problem is two huge problems.

Zhou Yan carefully put away the seal, looked at the letter in the box, unfolded it, and read the words inside: "Aren't you pleasantly surprised, little Taoist? Hahahaha!"

That smug, arrogant feeling leaps off the white paper.

The veins on Zhou Yan's palm, which was gripping the letter, were bulging.

"Don't get angry. Look at you, so young, yet you're supposed to be the Lord of Mount Tai. How can you be so impatient? Hahahaha!"

"This item is not the complete Imperial Seal of the State, but only one-third of it."

one third?

Zhou Yan opened the box and saw that the jade seal was radiating light, still as gentle as ever, and possessed a physical form. It was hard to imagine that this was only one-third of its original state, not its true form.

However, given Li Longji's personality, it's not surprising that he only gave out a portion.

That was a monster who, at the peak of his life, almost stood at the pinnacle of the Yanhuang Emperors.

Giving them all would be outrageous.

Zhou Yan thought for a moment, then continued reading the words on the letter:
"Firstly, I need something to protect myself; secondly, I don't think you can handle the entire Imperial Seal right now; thirdly, I'm not happy to give it to you now. You can come to Chang'an to take it back in a few years when you've become more capable."

"So, did my bet go through?"

"You will definitely come."

"However, this matter is not just for my sake, but also for yours."

"Without the Imperial Seal, my good son will not focus his main attention on you. If I play with him for a few more years, you will face far fewer dangers and have enough time to grow. On the other hand, with this seal in hand, your entry into the world is inevitable."

"So you won't have to find a place to hide and cultivate for decades without ever leaving the mountain."

"Don't even think about escaping, little Taoist priest."

There are rumors that this Imperial Seal is a relic of Kunlun.

"It represents another lineage that Qin Shi Huang did not reveal to the world. It is Qin Shi Huang's own treasure and his true core. It contains the secret to ascending to immortality and becoming a god. Even if one cannot reach the level of Qin Shi Huang, it is enough to break through the upper three ranks."

When Zhou Yan saw the words "Kunlun Relics", his eyes twitched. He knew of the existence of these four words from Mu Degong, the local earth god of Ganquanyuan, and that the Qingmingfangzhu and mountain gods from all over the country were pursuing this item.

It is also a core element of the turbulent times of this era.

Zhou Yan is a free-spirited and bold person, but even someone with his personality has to start seriously considering his current troubles.

The title of "Lord of Mount Tai" was enough to make him an enemy of the six figures, including Li Heng and the Master of Qingming.

The matter of Taishan Gong and his armor made the Four Sacred Mountains True Lords dislike him even more.

Around Mount Tai, there are also seventy-two mountain demons and thirty-six cave cultivators.

The Imperial Seal of the State is enough to make Li Heng covet him. If the news that he possesses the Kunlun Relics is exposed, all the mountain gods in the world will come looking for him.

"That's wonderful."

"Before I could even properly draw my sword, I was already on the verge of becoming an enemy of the world."

Zhou Yan wondered if he should find a hole and bury this thing first.

Then he continued reading and saw the words written on the letter:

"Kid, don't even think about leaving this thing behind."

"As for the reasons, you wouldn't want to hear them even if I explained them too much. If I were standing next to you, you would probably have already taken action. Instead of saying more, you might as well try it yourself."

"You can try to wield this Imperial Seal."

"It is said that the Imperial Seal of the State is a treasure left behind by Kunlun and the eighth lineage of Dharma. This is true and extremely precious. However, these guys who are blinded by treasure do not consider whether anyone can control such a treasure?"

"I will tell you."

"Only you and Yue can wield this seal."

"This seal comes from the unification of China by the Qin Emperor, who also performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai."

"You, who possess the Dao Fruit of the Lord of Mount Tai, are precisely the only being besides the human kings who can use this treasure. Therefore, when I realized you were there, this thought arose in my mind."

"In addition, let me explain once more."

"Rumors circulate that the Imperial Seal of the State and the Kunlun Relics can help people break through to the top three ranks, and they're not entirely untrue. You'll know once you try it."

Zhou Yan looked at the letter, reached out and grasped the Imperial Seal of the State. After thinking for a moment, he activated the jade talisman with the character "Tai". The Imperial Seal of the State, which Li Longji referred to as one-third of the seal, began to glow slightly.

In an instant, Zhou Yan made contact with the Imperial Seal of the State.

The next moment, Zhou Yan understood the significance of the Imperial Seal.

Because this treasure is conceptually a treasure of human destiny, its effects are so simple that anyone who can use it, even a ninth-rank Xuan official, can understand it.

Perhaps it's because during the Qin Dynasty, the human world was still in the era of the legendary gods and the Hundred Schools of Thought, where lineages were simpler and less clearly defined than they are now. Therefore, the most powerful treasures born in that era retained this style. Their effects were singular!

He clenched his fist and felt the surge of magical power that flowed through his flesh and blood. The level and quality of this power were beyond what the [Zhenrong] could describe; it had reached the level of a seventh-rank Xuan official.

The Imperial Seal of the State is a supreme treasure of humanity.

Its function—

Wearing the imperial seal elevates one rank in the Xuan Guan (mysterious official) system.

Zhou Yan clenched his fist and murmured, "Level +1?"

Simple, crude, and direct.

However, it's incredibly strong.

He suddenly understood why this thing, even after a thousand years, was still the most precious treasure in the world, and another reason why it attracted so many heroes to pursue it: simply by wearing it, one could raise their Xuan Guan realm by one level.

Wearing it as a fourth-grade Grandmaster means you can move freely like a third-grade immortal.

To break through the barriers between immortals and gods in the simplest and most brutal way.

If one truly has the opportunity to rise to the highest rank, one will be entitled to wear the imperial seal.

Zhou Yan could easily foresee that scene.

"Is it really possible to reach the highest rank...?"

Even the most uncertain possibility is enough to provoke a bloodbath among heroes of the world.

This treasure, this precious item, carries all sorts of dangers, but just as Li Longji said, Zhou Yan desperately needs power right now and simply cannot give it up. Zhou Yan can even sense that the surrounding human destiny has also become connected with him.

When wearing the Imperial Seal of the State, Zhou Yan could mobilize the Qi of humanity and cast spells.

When his magical power is exhausted, he can still use his luck to cast spells.

In other words, the second blue bar.

Zhou Yan looked at this small seal. It was small, yet it had sparked countless wars and battles across the land of Yanhuang, embodying the wishes, desires, and bloodshed of countless people.

It is something that all heroes pursue, and something that even the most outstanding talents cannot obtain.

Even a third of it is incredibly heavy.

"...It really is a wonderful farewell gift."

Zhou Yan closed his eyes and put the seal into his pocket. The young Taoist's voice was calm: "Then I will accept it without hesitation, Li Sanlang. When I reach the fourth rank, I will go to Chang'an City as you wish."

"The Fruit of the Path".

Only Zhou Yan and Li Longji knew what the Dao Fruit represented.

The concept of a true treasure, or Dao Fruit, had long been shattered by Zhou Yan's sword when he transformed into the Lord of Mount Tai, completely collapsing and falling like a meteor into the myriad mountains and rivers of the human world.

The Dao Fruit mentioned by Li Longji.

It represents Emperor Li Heng of the Tang Dynasty.

None of the six figures would easily give up the fragments they held, so it goes without saying under what circumstances they could take the Dao Fruit from Li Heng's hands.

It was only at this point that Zhou Yan finally understood the meaning of Li Longji's words.

"Faced with your last enemy in this life, who is also your own son, even you no longer have enough confidence. Are you even willing to give me a third of the Imperial Seal as a price to go to Chang'an to help you?"

"You really think highly of me."

"Or do you think that I had already mastered the power of the Lord of Mount Tai at that time?" Zhou Yan severed the connection with the Imperial Seal, and his aura returned to its normal level as an eighth-rank Xuan official.

And in the Zhongnan Mountains, on the Louguan Road.

On the preaching platform, on the jade disc that points directly to the Kunlun Relics, are written the names of the mountain gods who are qualified to bear the Kunlun Relics. The many Taoists of Louguan are still troubled by Xuanzhuzi's sudden departure without saying goodbye, when suddenly things change.

Ripples spread across the jade disc, layer upon layer.

The next moment, a clear and boundless light flowed, paused, and then shot into the sky. The light lasted for a long time before stopping. The Taoists of Louguan who were in charge of this piece of jade looked at each other for a long time.

"The Kunlun treasure has been seized by a mountain god nearby..."

"The earth's veins are connected to the treasure, causing the Kunlun Jade Disc to react."

The expression on the face of Xiweizi, the leader of Louguan Dao, paused slightly as he looked at the Kunlun jade wall that had lit up, and the title that had finally lit up after being locked on layer by layer, which was the most outrageous one: "Yisheng Hujie Lingying Manifestation of Power".

This means that this [Yisheng Protector of the Realm, Manifesting Power and Response] possesses a Kunlun treasure.

Xiweizi watched as the names lit up one after another on the Kunlun jade disc.

"Mount Lu, the true official who saves the world with the blue bag of Kuanglu."

"Tianmen Mountain, the True King of Chu Yue Tongming Zhenyin."

"Mount Emei, the Nine Elders Cave, the God of Time."

That represents the outstanding mountain gods among the thousands of mountains and rivers of the Central Plains, who are also extraordinary individuals. Although they are not among the Five Sacred Mountains, they each have their own abilities. Their names are on the Kunlun Jade Wall, and they must have sensed the changes in the Jade Wall.

"Soon, I'm afraid all these mountain gods will gather at Louguan Road to search for the Kunlun treasures."

Xiweizi looked at the last name that lit up.

"The deity of Dailuo Peak, a branch of the Buddhist Wutai Mountain, is given the title of Venerable One."

"The Eight-Leaf Immaculate Lion King..."

Xiweizi said, "...Is the lion from Manjushri Bodhisattva's sacred site also coming?"

They looked at each other.

The turbulent waves that are about to sweep through Louguandao are already foreseeable.

Just then, a young Taoist priest ran up from outside, holding a letter in his hand. He said, "Sect Leader, a letter from Uncle-Master Xuanzhu has arrived!"

Wang Zhenwei, who had a rather fiery temper, snatched it away and said:

"What did that kid do down the mountain?!"

He opened the letter, glanced at it, and said, "What it says is that it's to clear the karma of a girl with whom Master Sun made a good connection back then. He also met a Taoist from Louguan, who said he would be returning to the mountain soon."

"A member of the Louguan Daoist sect?"

Wang Zhen asked with slight doubt, "Whose disciples have been down here recently?"

Everyone shook their heads, and Wang Zhenwei said, "Could he be a fraudster?"

"When he comes back, if he's a liar, we'll definitely teach him a lesson!"

Meanwhile, at the Reclining Buddha Temple.

The monk Kongkong, who was digging the hole, finally bumped into something with his shovel. The next moment, a ray of light suddenly flowed from under his shovel and spread out!
Wow, I won?!
(End of this chapter)