Eternal God Emperor: Only I Am Emperor One

Chapter 126 Forging a Sword in Chaotic Times
The Shangguan family was among the top-tier aristocratic families of the medieval period.

The descendants of the Shangguan family can be found in all the major sects and ancient religions of the Central Region.

The Shangguan Mansion, located in Xingluo City within the Wansheng Land of the State, is centered around a sacred mountain and occupies an area of ​​thousands of miles. It has existed for tens of thousands of years and has been reinforced by successive saints, saint kings, and even great saints.

The mansion was covered with sacred runes, and no one below the level of a Great Sage dared to venture inside.

The ancestral home of the Shangguan family, also known as the Queshengwang Mansion, was the residence of Shangguan Que, the ancestor of the Shangguan family.

King Shangguan Que was once the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince of the Holy Ming Central Empire and the teacher of Crown Prince Zhang Ruochen.

Aside from his prestigious position in the imperial court, the name of King Que Sheng also holds a pivotal position in Confucianism and Taoism, comparable to that of Wang Shiqi, the current Grand Chancellor of the court.

However, compared to Wang Shiqi, who holds the high position of Grand Chancellor and oversees the world through the Heavenly Chess Platform, Shangguan Que has lived a secluded life for the past few hundred years and has not appeared in front of outsiders for a long time.

The heart of the Quesheng King's Palace is where the sacred mountain is located.

At the summit of the sacred mountain grows a vigorous ancient pine tree, planted by Shangguan Que himself, which has been growing for over a thousand years.

Under the tree was a stone platform, on which was placed a tea set. The teapot was brewing the rare and precious Sacred Dao Ancient Tea, which was taken from the Sacred Dao Ancient Tea tree of the Painting Sect.

Shangguan Que stood beside the stone platform, pouring tea for the two women sitting opposite him.

Given his status, there are only a handful of people in the entire Kunlun Realm who would be willing to serve him tea.

One of these two women was the empress of the court, and the other was the teacher who had guided him into Confucianism and Taoism.

The outside world believed that in the battle at the Central Imperial City, Empress Chi Yao and Empress Huan fought to a standstill, with one disappearing without a trace and the other going into seclusion to heal.

But who could have predicted the truth? Just days ago, the two were at loggerheads, but now they are sitting together, enjoying tea and discussing philosophy.

"The Yellow Heaven Blood Emperor has already fallen, but the Qi Tian Blood Emperor... is rather troublesome. I'm afraid Xia Han and the other two can't defeat him. Are you really not planning to take action?" The Illusion Queen, dressed in a white Confucian robe, sipped her tea quite naturally.

"He's just a Blood Emperor, it's not my place to deal with him personally. He escaped this time, I'll deal with him next time." Chi Yao's tone was indifferent, the death of a Blood Emperor didn't even stir the slightest ripple in her heart.

The Empress was filled with doubts. There were too many mysteries surrounding Chi Yao, and she was covered with unfathomable causes and effects. The more she got to know her, the more frightened she became.

To those at their level, the Ten Blood Emperors of the Undying Blood Clan were nothing more than chickens and dogs; if they really wanted to deal with them, they could be wiped out with a flick of their fingers.

“The Kunlun Realm has been at peace for too long. The younger generation born in the last five hundred years is unaware of the cruelty of war. This is a good opportunity to let them get used to it in advance. The peaceful days left for them are numbered,” Chi Yao said quietly.

The Empress read too many hidden meanings in her words and connected them to many things, but there were some things she would not believe anyone for, and some answers that only she herself could find.

"As long as you are in Kunlun Realm, the situation will not get out of control. In comparison, I have become the unstable factor." Empress Huan chuckled. Even the Celestial Master is no match for Empress Chi Yao, who can wield the Emperor's Divine Ruler. Unless one becomes a god, it is difficult for anyone to threaten Empress Chi Yao.

"You're also planning to leave the Kunlun Realm?" Chi Yao wasn't surprised; she had already expected it.

Looking at the teacup in her hand, Huanhou could clearly sense that the path ahead was cut off, not because of her own fault, but because of the world at large.

The rules of heaven and earth in the Kunlun Realm are incomplete. If you continue to stay in the Kunlun Realm, you will never be able to break through to godhood.

To reach a higher level, one must go out and explore.

No one knows what they will face once they step out. This was true for the Ming Emperor, Qing Emperor, and Sword Emperor eight hundred years ago, for the great saints of Kunlun Realm even earlier, and for the current Illusion Queen.

Chi Yao knew more, but it was all based on speculation. Only those who had gone out knew what the situation was like outside Kunlun.

Of those who left, not one has ever returned.

This was a road of no return. Chi Yao didn't know where they had arrived, or whether they had died in the vast void, never to return.

Sometimes, she also wished that after the illusion faded, she could leave the Kunlun Realm as freely as the Sword Emperor.

But in this cruel era, everyone has their own responsibilities, and she was the one chosen to support this broken world.

"The Xue Dynasty is dead, and the grudges of the past have been settled. With the current power of the First Central Empire, the black market cannot threaten the rule of the court at all. I think you no longer need to send a large army to attack the Eastern Evil Lands," said the Illusionary Queen.

Chi Yao did not drink the tea, but stood up and walked towards the outside of the sacred mountain.

"I, the Emperor, will forge a sword amidst the chaos of war. How can it be forged without a blazing furnace? If the evil lands of the Eastern Regions are breached, it will only prove that the black market is only fit to be fuel in the furnace. Pity will not make their future any better."

The Empress watched Chi Yao's departing figure without saying another word.

Everyone has their own path, and at their level, no one's words can change their will. She looked at Shangguan Que and said softly, "I know you are entangled in too many karmas. Would you be willing to leave the Kunlun Realm with me?"

Shangguan Que hesitated for a moment, then shook his white hair slightly.

Empress Huan sighed softly, then got up and walked out of the Holy Mountain.

Master and disciple, after this parting, who knows if they will ever have the chance to meet again.

……

On the banks of the Daming River.

Di Yi bid farewell to Qingyu Sword Saint and Mei Huangsheng. Qingyu Sword Saint, along with his two disciples and a group of servants, planned to head to the Underworld Sword Tomb, while Mei Huangsheng, the sect leader of the Qin Sect, was to return to the Qin Sect to take charge of the overall situation.

Before parting, Master Mei pulled Di Yi aside and earnestly advised him to repent and reform. He said that as long as Di Yi was willing to submit to the court, Master Mei was willing to risk his reputation and use the face and connections of the four sect leaders, Mei, Lan, Zhu, and Ju, to seek a bright future for him in the court.

But he was rejected without hesitation.

Mr. Mei was annoyed by his lack of ambition, but with the Nine-Headed Qilin and Nangong Shi by his side, he dared not say anything more.

Nangong Shi used the remaining sacred bones and sacred source of the immortal blood clan saints to repair the Ten Saints Blood Armor. Because it incorporated the bones of the Yellow Heaven Blood Emperor, the power of the Ten Saints Blood Armor was even greater than before.

The blood armor transformed into a blood-red bracelet in his hand, which he played with as he walked to Di Yi.

"Junior brother, this thing is of no use to me, so I'll give it to you."

As he spoke, he tossed the bracelet formed from the Ten Saints Blood Armor into Di Yi's arms.

Di Yi was somewhat flattered. His fifth senior brother was far too generous. He truly deserved to be the number one figure in the Northern Region's evil sects.

"Why did Fifth Senior Brother suddenly come to the Central Region when he was in the Northern Region? Is it because of... Master?"

The Empress Huan fought against Empress Chi Yao in the central imperial city, and her fate remains unknown. This topic is obviously quite heavy.

The smile on Nangong Shi's face faded, his expression turned serious, and he nodded slightly.

“That’s right. I came to the Central Region to find my master. I don’t believe that my master would perish under Empress Chi Yao’s sword.”

"Fifth Senior Brother, I don't believe Master has perished either. I'll go with you to find him," Di Yi immediately said.

“Junior Brother, your cultivation is too low to participate in battles at this level. I can handle the search for Master. You should return to the Eastern Evil Land with the Grand Steward. I suspect that if Master is injured, he might not stay in the Central Nine Provinces and may have already returned to the Eastern Region,” Nangong Shi said.

Di Yi wanted to say more, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. Although he had broken through to the Half-Saint realm, he was still too weak compared to Nangong Shi and Huan Hou. Whether he could be of any help if he stayed in the Central Region was another matter; on the contrary, he might become a burden.

"Then please take care, senior brother. If you hear any news about Master, please inform me and Ninth Senior Sister immediately."

Nangong Shi nodded in agreement, gave a few more brief instructions, and then headed towards the central imperial city.

Yan Kaixuan and the other human saints had already left, leaving only Di Yi, the Nine-Headed Qilin, and Yin Yue Lin Kong and Zhong Yao waiting by the Daming River.

"The eight Heavenly Kings of the Earth Temple are wreaking havoc on the black market strongholds of the Central Region. The Evil Emperor has ordered that, apart from the First-Class Hall of the Central Region Black Market, all the saints of the Central Region should temporarily lie low. He has also mobilized 30% of the saints to go to the Eastern Region to fight against the imperial army."

“Di Yi, you are the young master of the First-Class Hall of the Eastern Region Black Market. You don’t need to get involved in the battles at the Saint Realm, but you need to step forward below the Saint Realm. This is your duty as the young master,” the Nine-Headed Qilin said.

"Rest assured, Grand Steward, I understand," Di Yi said.

"You don't need to worry too much about the safety of the Illusion Queen. If someone of her stature were to fall, strange phenomena would appear throughout the Kunlun Realm. When the Buddha Emperor died, black lotuses sprouted from the ground in three thousand temples in the Western Regions. After the Demon Emperor died in the Copper Furnace Plain, blood rained down on Mount Wuding for three days. Although the battle in the Central Imperial City was fierce, no strange phenomena of a Great Sage falling occurred. Perhaps the Illusion Queen has encountered something more important and is temporarily unable to contact us," the Nine-Headed Qilin said, expressing his speculation.

Although Empress Chi Yao is powerful, she is not truly omnipotent. There are beings in the Wilderness, the Undying Blood Clan, and the Void Realm that she also fears.

The Empress's strength was no less than that of those forbidden beings, so how could she fall so easily? Both the Nine-Headed Qilin and Nangong Shi were more inclined to believe that the Empress had encountered something else.

The truth will only be known by finding the Queen of Illusions.

Among the saints of the Central Region Black Market who were conscripted to the Eastern Region was Xu Sanjin, the head manager of the Dingxuan Prefecture Black Market.

After experiencing this great upheaval, Dingxuan Prefecture became a key target of the imperial court's crackdown. With Langhuantian nearby and the heartland of the Wushi Money Shop's sphere of influence, apart from the small forces and outposts scattered throughout the region, the entire Dingxuan Prefecture has been strategically abandoned by the black market for the time being.

Since Xu Sanjin had already set off for the Eastern Region, Zhong Yao naturally had no need to stay in the Central Region and took the initiative to go to the Evil Land of the Eastern Region.

(End of this chapter)