Ten years of dormancy: Starting as a martial arts master at the pinnacle

The Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Li Zheng was enjoying 108 dishes in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

He was in a very good mood and even specially summoned two young concubines to dine with him.

"Your Majesty, please try this crystal cake; it's truly excellent."

The young concubine used her slender fingers to feed the old emperor a clear crystal cake.

Li Zheng smacked his lips. "Not bad, not bad, the taste is excellent."

This emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, while not exactly strict with himself, was certainly not extravagant.

He usually eats sixteen dishes a day, a mix of meat and vegetables.

Posting so many dishes all at once today seems like a celebration.

Just as Li Zheng was enjoying the extravagant life befitting a monarch, a young eunuch suddenly came to report from outside the door.

"His Highness the King of Wu requests an audience!"

The King of Wu was the third son.

Thinking of his third son, Li Zheng frowned slightly.

He felt he had made himself clear: the fourth and fifth princes also coveted the throne. But faced with this overall situation, they all chose to back down.

What exactly is the third brother's advantage?

Even without the crown prince, without the King of Qin.

This bookworm, who focused most of his attention on reading, couldn't compete with the fourth brother.

"Let him in."

Although I feel that my third son is a bit out of touch with reality, he is still my son after all.

Li Zheng was one of the few monarchs who still retained his humanity.

He loved all his sons, even the seemingly unambitious third son.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

King Wu entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation and immediately paid his respects with great ceremony.

"Good boy, we are father and son, there's no need for so many rules in private."

Li Zheng reached out his hand.

Even though his hand didn't touch King Wu Li Yuanpeng, Li Yuanpeng felt a gentle yet immense force pulling him up.

Is this the power of the Great Zhou royal family's legacy?

Within the boundaries of this imperial city, his father was invincible.

The King of Wu was even more greedy.

Li Zheng keenly noticed the change in his third son. He wondered to himself, "Could it be that this child has suffered too much trauma and gone mad from the loss?"

Although Li Zheng loved these sons dearly.

But if his son had committed suicide, Li Zheng wouldn't be particularly heartbroken.

After all, he doesn't lack sons, and the one in front of him isn't even his most beloved legitimate son.

"Tomorrow is the abdication ceremony. Why aren't you staying at home? What are you doing at the palace?"

Upon hearing Li Zheng's question, the dark light in the King of Wu's eyes almost materialized.

Is Father Emperor unwilling to even see me?

If that's the case, then it seems he no longer needs to uphold that father-son relationship.

"My father will abdicate in favor of my nephew Changqing tomorrow. My nephew Changqing has already reached the cultivation level of a half-step Supreme, and is undoubtedly the best successor of the Great Zhou. Although I had some thoughts about this before, I understand the bigger picture."

Hearing this, Li Zheng curiously looked his son up and down, asking with uncertainty in his eyes, "You really think so?"

When did his third child become so sensible?

Despite being the third prince, Wu Wang, being the most well-read, he was the most stubborn of all the princes.

They're the type who won't turn back even after hitting a brick wall.

"Father!"

The King of Wu's voice was filled with grievance.

"She's over forty years old and still acts like a spoiled child."

Li Zheng said this, but he was secretly pleased: "What are your plans next? Are you going back to your own fiefdom, or are you going to explore the Great Zhou? You're still young, there's no need to lock yourself in the capital."

As he spoke, Li Zheng's voice was filled with longing.

When he was young, his favorite thing to do was to travel around with his subordinates and make friends with beautiful women everywhere.

Since ascending the throne, he has been confined to Kyoto. Even when he travels incognito, he can only do so within the city limits.

What's the difference between this life and living in a larger prison?

Li Changqing wanted to succeed to the throne, which is why Li Zheng disagreed at the time.

Besides considerations of power, there was another very important reason. That was that he didn't want his beloved grandson to be trapped and die in Kyoto in the future.

Even if this is the most prosperous place in the Great Zhou Dynasty and even the whole world, it is only the tip of the iceberg.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has so many beautiful landscapes and so many famous historical sites; it should be thoroughly appreciated.

Not to mention that beyond the Great Zhou Dynasty lies the entire world: the Ice City in the far north, the Star Empire in the east, the fifteen kingdoms in the south, and the Holy Mountain in the west.

Even in more distant places, it is said that there are people who look different from those here.

Seeing his father talking to himself again, the King of Wu sneered inwardly.

On the surface, the emperor loved all his brothers equally, but he never intended for any of them to succeed him.

Only the two legitimate sons and their children could succeed to the throne.

"This is a gift that your son has painstakingly collected. I wish that after Father Emperor abdicates, he will be free."

Although Li Zheng is already over sixty years old.

However, he has the cultivation level of a half-step supreme being, so living past 100 is not a problem.

This means he still has plenty of time to travel.

"You don't understand."

Li Zheng shook his head with a wry smile.

If the Great Zhou emperor abdicates, will things really be that good?

Why is that retired emperor nowhere to be seen, enjoying his leisure time abroad?

Once the emperor of the Great Zhou abdicates, he will be confined to the Great Zhou Armory in seclusion, becoming the last trump card of the Great Zhou.

There's no need to say these things to my son, lest it make him feel uncomfortable.

Li Zheng picked up the box, smiled, and said, "Let me see what gift the Third Prince has prepared for me."

With a click, the box opened.

The moment Li Zheng saw what was inside the box, his expression changed.

This is?

Just as Li Zheng changed his expression, Wu Wang Li Yuanpeng, who had already approached him, suddenly made a move.

Even at this moment, Li Zheng's attention was already drawn to the contents of the box.

He still sensed the danger.

"Are you crazy?"

In the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Imperial City, they launched a sneak attack on the Emperor of Great Zhou. Even if it were a peak half-step Supreme expert, let alone Li Yuanpeng, he wouldn't have gained the slightest advantage.

At this moment, Li Yuanpeng was practically courting death.

Just as Li Zheng raised his hand, intending to slap this wicked child who had defied his superiors and murdered his father to death,

Li Yuanpeng was suddenly covered in black energy.

Li Zheng failed to land the slap; instead, the other party beat him to it and grabbed his wrist.

"Heavenly Demonic Art, Arise!!"

The terrifying black energy was like a black hole, constantly devouring Li Zheng's power.

Li Zheng's pupils dilated as he stared at Li Yuanpeng in disbelief.

"You're not the third brother, you're the Heavenly Demon Ancestor?"

"No, this is the third son's body! Damn demon, what have you done to my son?"

"This is your son's wish; I have merely amplified his desires in this regard."

Li Yuanpeng chuckled strangely, "Thank you for your gift, Your Majesty. Now my strength can be restored."

……