There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 298 is absolutely true!
After speaking, the old man in the gray robe slowly stood up and flicked his sleeve.

"Om-"

Deep within the palace, the void rippled, and a dark pool of water appeared out of nowhere.

The pool was only about ten feet in diameter, but the water was as black as ink and bottomless. Tiny starlight floated and shimmered within it, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.

"This is the Origin Star Pool, which can reflect the origin of one's bloodline and trace the root of cause and effect." The gray-robed old man's gaze fell on Consort Li. "Put the fragments of destiny aura you have obtained into this pool, and you will see the clues."

Consort Li met everyone's gazes, snorted coldly, and said, "Very well! Let you all witness it with your own eyes so that you may know your own shallowness and mistakes!"

After saying that, she flipped her hand and took out the seemingly ordinary cloth bag. With a solemn expression, she opened her mouth and sprayed it into the dark star pool!
"call--"

A stream of energy mixed with a few wisps of strange light surged out of the bag and, as if guided, plunged into the dark pool of water!

In an instant, the once calm and still Star Pool suddenly boiled over!

The pool water rippled, and shimmering light seemed about to rise!
Immediately, everyone's attention focused on the dark Origin Star Pool.

The first thing to rise was a pure and refined golden elixir energy, containing the profound meaning of the Nine Revolutions!

"Oh? Golden Core cultivation, the foundation is quite solid." The young man in fine clothes raised an eyebrow, his tone casual. "I have read about Chen Qiu's life. He is not very old, but to have achieved this much is quite impressive."

The pool water continued to ripple, and streaks of light of various colors, strange and dynamic, appeared, intertwining and changing unpredictably.

"Hmm?" The old woman in hemp clothing paused slightly in her hand, which was holding prayer beads. "This spiritual energy is complex and mysterious, and it is not of the ordinary kind. This child's talent is probably more than just good."

Immediately afterwards, several illusory and strange lights flashed and disappeared in the pool water!
Even the middle-aged man in the black robe narrowed his eyes slightly: "What kind of supernatural phenomenon is this?"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, feeling somewhat bewildered and a sense of unease rising in their hearts.

However, before they could think it through, another unexpected event occurred!

"boom--"

A majestic and awe-inspiring aura, ruling over all directions and controlling the universe, suddenly erupted from the bottom of the pool!
Golden light surged, and auspicious clouds gathered!
The entire dark star pool was instantly rendered as if cast in gold!

"what?!"

The gray-robed old man, who had been expressionless, suddenly sat up straight, his eyes flashing with a sharp light!
Almost simultaneously, the Star Pool seemed to be completely activated by this imperial aura. The pool water boiled as if being boiled, and streaks of starlight flashed wildly, resonating intensely with the imperial aura!
"Buzz!"

The entire grotto hall trembled violently!

Murals suddenly appeared all around, depicting landscapes and people worshipping!
An ancient and majestic aura permeated the air, making everyone feel breathless!
"The palace resonates! The murals manifest divine power!" The richly dressed young man stood up abruptly, his casual demeanor vanishing, his eyes widening in astonishment. "Only the purest imperial aura can trigger this extraordinary phenomenon!"

"It...it really is the reincarnation of the Holy Emperor?!" The middle-aged man in the black robe lost all color in his face, and then his eyes changed, revealing a hint of worry and fear!
The old woman in hemp clothing took a deep breath, her withered face filled with fervor: "This is the destiny of Heaven! We have actually witnessed the Holy Emperor in this world!"

The figure beneath the cloak swayed slightly, exclaiming with emotion, "We have searched so hard, and finally... finally we have found you!" His voice trembled, his mind unsettled.
The burly man clashed his fists together, his blood surging!
However, the gray-robed elder in the main seat wore an expression of disbelief and bewilderment. He stared at the boiling star pool and murmured, "Impossible... This is absolutely impossible! If it's true, then wouldn't it mean..."

He abruptly stopped speaking, suppressing the turmoil churning within him, and focused intently on the situation.

The imperial aura shone brightly in the pool, resonating perfectly with the palace hall; the murals flowed and shone brilliantly—all of this was undeniably real!

"Is it really true? Then that doesn't make sense!"

Amidst his confusion, a bizarre and terrifying thought suddenly sprouted in his mind, sending chills down his spine.

Just as his mind was in utter turmoil...

"Boom!!!"

Another strange event is occurring within the Star Pool!
An indescribable and unimaginable grand aura suddenly soared into the sky!

This aura is neither magic nor supernatural power, but a pure manifestation of "position"!
"Pfft!"

"Uh!"

Everyone in the hall, including the gray-robed elder, involuntarily lowered their bodies the moment this grand aura descended, as if they were carrying mountains on their shoulders. Their magical power stagnated, and their souls trembled!

The entire blessed land shook and trembled under the pressure of this power, and the spatial barrier rippled violently, as if it might collapse at any moment!
"What... what kind of rank is this?!" The middle-aged man in the black robe was horrified, his voice hoarse.

"Merely tracing the manifestation of the primordial aura is enough to suppress us and shake the grotto-heaven!" The young man in fine clothes no longer had a trace of frivolity on his face, only boundless horror remained. "This is terrifying! Who but a Saint Emperor could possess such a status?!"

"It must be the true emperor!" The old woman in hemp clothing trembled with excitement.

The burly man nodded repeatedly, without a trace of doubt.

All eyes turned once again to the gray-robed old man, awaiting his final confirmation.

The gray-robed elder was pale, his eyes filled with an extremely complex mix of surprise, disbelief, and fear. He remained silent for a long time before taking a deep breath and saying in a hoarse voice, "The Origin Star Pool cannot be faked, and the resonance of the hall cannot be countered by human effort. It is undoubtedly the reincarnation of a certain Holy Emperor!"

Then, he looked at Consort Li. "Where is she?!"

"Humph!"

Consort Li stood proudly in the hall, her phoenix eyes sweeping across the room, taking in the expressions on everyone's faces. The frustration from being questioned earlier vanished, and she felt extremely pleased: "Well? Do you have anything to say now?"

The middle-aged man in black robes, who had been speaking aggressively just moments before, now had a face that was a mixture of pale and flushed. His lips trembled a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word and could only awkwardly look away.

The young man in fine clothes took a deep breath, stepped forward, and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Highness, Consort Li, is truly discerning. We have been quite rude before, and we hope Your Highness will forgive us! May I ask where His Majesty is now? What is His Majesty's temperament like? Does His Majesty have any orders?"

Consort Li sneered inwardly, but feigned composure on the surface, and slowly said, "His Majesty's whereabouts are not something that can be easily revealed. As for His Majesty's temperament..."

She paused for a moment, thought it over, and said carefully, "His Majesty's wisdom has just been restored, and his thoughts are deep and methodical, which we cannot presume to understand. However, now that His Majesty has revealed his whereabouts, in my opinion, the most urgent task is to send a message to the other branch courts, summoning all the officials in charge to come to an audience as soon as possible to discuss important matters!"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall paused slightly.

As they exchanged glances, each lost in their own thoughts.

The gray-robed old man coughed lightly and slowly said, "What Consort Li said makes sense. The return of the Holy Emperor is an earth-shattering event. It should be announced to all courts so that they can pay homage to him in a unified manner, thus establishing his status and rallying the people's hearts."

But as he spoke, his tone suddenly shifted, becoming serious: "However, this matter has far-reaching implications, concerning the foundation we have built up over the years, the future direction of the situation, and even the safety of the Holy Emperor. Therefore, we must not act rashly, but rather proceed slowly and meticulously to ensure that nothing goes wrong. The most urgent task is for us to go and pay our respects to the Holy Emperor, listen to his instructions, and confirm our next course of action."

Upon hearing this, Consort Li thought to herself, "These people still harbor the intention of making initial contact and seizing the initiative." She couldn't help but sneer, "An audience? I'm afraid you'll all have made a wasted trip, filled with nothing but empty enthusiasm!"

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, she sneered a few more times before continuing, "After the previous siege of our stronghold, His Majesty is wary of us and has stated that he does not wish to easily venture into unknown and dangerous places again. He is currently in seclusion somewhere and does not want too many outsiders to disturb him. If you go there now, you will not even be able to see His Majesty!"

"Is His Majesty so wary?"

Upon hearing this, the men reacted with varying expressions.

Some looked regretful, lamenting that their previous probing had backfired; others had gleaming eyes, secretly relieved.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming slightly somber, Consort Li changed the subject again, throwing out a key piece of information: "However, although His Majesty is not willing to see many people for the time being, he has shown great interest in one matter."

"Oh? What's the matter?"

Seeing everyone's gazes upon her, she smiled and said, "His Majesty wishes to understand the details of the various Buddhist sects today, and has ordered me to collect all relevant information, including scriptures, maps, and the distribution of their influence."

"Buddhism?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked puzzled.

The Holy Emperor has been reincarnated. Upon his return, instead of paying attention to the court and military affairs, or contacting his old subordinates, he has focused his attention on Buddhism. What is the meaning of this?

Just as everyone was looking at each other in bewilderment, the burly man suddenly slapped his thigh and exclaimed in realization, "So that's how it is!"

He looked around at everyone and laughed loudly, "It must be His Majesty the Holy Emperor who sees the world clearly. He has seen that the Immortal Dynasty is in chaos because of those bald monks. They worship Buddhism and fawn over foreigners. The moral order has collapsed. So he has decided to find out the truth about these bald monks first! His Majesty is going to use Buddhism as a starting point to revitalize the court!"

Many people in the hall had their eyes light up!
"Indeed! General Xiong is right!"

"The Buddhist sect is powerful and deeply entrenched. If we can start from there, it would be a brilliant move!"

"Your Majesty's foresight and wisdom are beyond the reach of ordinary people!"

Immediately, everyone echoed this sentiment, realizing they had grasped the deeper meaning behind the "Holy Emperor's" words, and their gazes toward Consort Li became even more fervent.

Consort Li immediately seized the opportunity, saying, "Now that you all know His Majesty's intentions, then quickly compile all the information you have regarding Buddhism, and I will present it to His Majesty. Remember, this matter concerns His Majesty's opinion of us, so you must not be negligent!"

"We will certainly not disappoint Your Majesty!"

Without the slightest hesitation, everyone immediately stood up, transformed into streaks of light, and departed one after another, clearly eager to impress the "Holy Emperor".

In the blink of an eye, only Consort Li and the gray-robed old man remained in the main hall.

Consort Li looked at the gray-robed elder and said meaningfully, "Elder, do you still have any doubts now?"

The gray-robed elder remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head and said in a deep voice, "The resonance between the Star Pool and the Palace is undeniable, and the prominence of their positions is not a fabrication. However, this matter is too astonishing, and I still need some time to digest it. Consort Li, I will trouble you to take good care of His Majesty. Be sure to keep His Majesty calm and do not hesitate to ask for anything he needs."

Consort Li smiled confidently: "Elder, rest assured, I know what's important and I've also figured out His Majesty's temperament. When I return, I will definitely serve him to make him happy."

Having said that, she didn't say anything more and also vanished in a flash of light.

The old man in the gray robe had a furrowed brow.

"Could it be that a Holy Emperor has been reincarnated? The momentum just now was comparable to that of an Ascended being. Could it be... one of the original two? But it still doesn't quite make sense!"

(End of this chapter)