My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

Outside the blacksmith's workshop in the east wing.

The courtyard was deathly quiet.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian, Qin Qiong, and Qin Huaidao, who was holding a few scraps of food, stared at each other, their eyes wide open, intently fixed on the tightly closed wooden door.

"Creak—"

The wooden door was slowly pushed open from the inside.

He no longer had Li Chen's usual carefree and unruly demeanor, always wearing cloth shoes and acting without any sense of propriety.

Instead, there was a heavy, metallic scraping sound.

"tread."

A foot encased in a metallic combat boot that blends bright silver and dark gold landed firmly on the bluestone slabs in the courtyard.

Li Chengqian gasped, his eyes widening instantly, and his mouth gaping open enough to fit a fist.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the person who came.

That was a set of unparalleled battle armor that could not be described in the language of the Tang Dynasty!

The entire piece is dominated by a dazzling, sacred gold color, with a lifelike dragon totem coiled on the breastplate. The armor on both sides of the shoulders resembles winged blades, with smooth lines and a violent beauty.

Above the mask were goggles as deep as rubies, completely obscuring Li Chen's face, revealing only an unparalleled domineering aura that looked down upon the world and ruled over all things!

Armor Hero, the Emperor Warrior!

"Sixteenth...Sixteenth brother?"

Li Chengqian swallowed hard, his voice trembling. As a body-cultivating fanatic who had tempered his physical body to the extreme and dreamed of owning a set of peerless heavy armor, he looked at this set of imperial armor and his saliva almost dripped down his chin.

"How is it? Is this outfit formal enough?"

Beneath the metal mask, Li Chen's deep, resonant voice rang out.

He casually moved his wrist, the joints of the armor making a soft, crisp clicking sound. The flexibility of the Starry Purple Gold perfectly matched his every movement, without the slightest hesitation.

"Gulp." Qin Huaidao's Adam's apple bobbed. "Your Highness, dressed like this for a banquet, you might just blow the roof off the Taiji Hall!"

"Old Deng wants to show off, doesn't he? Today, I'll give him the grandest show he can get."

Li Chen flicked his golden metallic cloak and strode towards the gate of the Prince's Mansion.

"Let's go to the palace. We'll show you how to dazzle those Tibetan barbarians."

……

Taiji Palace, Taiji Hall.

The main hall was brightly lit, with thick red candles illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.

The dancers from the Jiaofangsi, dressed in light gauze skirts, danced gracefully in the center of the hall to the beat of drums, accompanied by the continuous sounds of silk and bamboo instruments.

Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty sat regally on his high dragon throne, wearing a twelve-tassel crown and a black imperial robe, displaying the majesty of the Celestial Empire. Empress Zhangsun sat gracefully beside him.

To the lower left of the white jade steps, there is a long row of tables.

Those sitting there are the Tibetan delegation that just arrived in Chang'an today.

The Tibetan Grand Minister Gar Tongtsen, holding a luminous cup, calmly watched the Tang Dynasty's song and dance performance.

Although he wore a respectful smile, his hawk-like eyes were subtly scrutinizing the civil and military officials of the Tang Dynasty seated opposite him.

The military generals were strong and powerful, while the civil officials possessed extraordinary bearing.

Lu Dongzan secretly calculated the current national strength of the Tang Dynasty, his brows furrowing slightly without being noticed.

Beside Lu Dongzan, the five-year-old Sangza, the legitimate son of a collateral branch of the prime minister, was sitting cross-legged on a soft cushion.

He was dressed in a luxurious snow leopard fur coat, with a necklace of wolf teeth around his neck. Exquisite pastries were laid out on the table in front of him, but he didn't even glance at them, focusing instead on cutting large pieces of roasted lamb leg from a plate with a sharp little silver knife.

Sangza raised his wild eyes, glanced at the graceful dancers in the center of the hall, and curled his lips into a disdainful sneer.

"Soft and limp, like a sheep that hasn't eaten."

Sangza lowered his voice and muttered something to the guards behind him in Tibetan.

"This is the Tang Dynasty? I think it's nothing special. When I grow up, I'll lead the warriors of the snowy plateau and one day take all these beautiful tents back to our plateau."

Lu Dongzan frowned and grabbed Sangzha's hand.

"Shut up. If you dare to spout nonsense again, I'll send you back to the inn and lock you up tomorrow."

Sangza defiantly broke free from Lu Dongzan's grasp, chewing the mutton in his mouth with gusto, his eyes still darting around defiantly.

On the dragon throne.

Li Shimin held his wine cup, but his eyes kept glancing towards the entrance of the main hall.

"Eunuch Wang, why hasn't the Prince of Qin arrived yet?" Li Shimin turned his head and asked the eunuch beside him in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, I have already gone to urge him. I presume that His Highness Prince Qin is currently washing and changing clothes, and will surely follow Your Majesty's instructions to attend in full regalia," the old king quickly replied, bowing his head.

Li Shimin then nodded in satisfaction.

These Tibetan barbarians have always been arrogant. Today, if Chen'er wears that royal robe and displays a bit of otherworldly grace, it will surely intimidate these uncultured barbarians.

Just as the atmosphere inside the main hall was harmonious with toasts and laughter,

"His Highness the Prince of Qin has arrived! His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

The eunuch outside the palace suddenly raised his voice eight octaves, his voice trembling violently with barely suppressed emotion.

The music inside the main hall abruptly stopped.

The dancers retreated to the sides, and everyone's gaze was fixed on the two tall, open vermilion doors of the main hall.

Quiet.

The night breeze blew into the main hall, causing the candlelight to flicker.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

A dull, heavy, metallic clanging sound, like a giant beast stomping on the earth, slowly emanated from the white marble plaza outside the hall.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, but each one felt as if it were stepping on the hearts of everyone in the hall.

Followed by.

A blinding golden beam of light suddenly refracted in from outside the palace door, instantly overshadowing all the candlelight inside!

Lu Dongzan narrowed his eyes and subconsciously raised his hand to shield his face.

A tall figure, clad entirely in gleaming golden armor, stepped across the threshold of the Taiji Hall.

Under the lamplight, the armor shimmered with a dazzling aura. The colossal dragon totem on its chest seemed almost alive, exuding a terrifying, domineering aura that seemed to tear the heavens apart. The red goggles coldly swept across the entire arena, making it appear like a celestial war god surveying the mortal realm!

Qin Qiong, Li Chengqian, and Qin Huaidao, like three dutiful bodyguards, walked in behind the golden-armored war god, their faces full of helplessness yet trying to maintain their dignity.

The air inside the hall seemed to have been sucked out in that instant.

The jaws of the entire court fell to the floor with a "thud." Changsun Wuji's wine cup slipped from his hand and smashed on the table, spilling wine all over his hands without him noticing.

"What...what kind of armor is this?!"

"Could they be heavenly soldiers descending to earth?"

Li Chen stopped in the center of the hall.

In order to fully embody the concept of "prestige," he had a slight change of heart.

"Buzz—!"