Chapter 122: Chapter 122: The Dragon Vein Must Not Fall Into an Outsider’s Hands
Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief and broke into smiles—everyone, that is, except for the members of Celestial City Academy. Their faces were dark, their expressions utterly somber.
Because their academy’s once-in-a-millennium genius, Xia Junze, had died inside.
Moreover, the rules of their life-and-death duel stipulated that victory was determined by skill alone, and the outcome—be it life or death—was to be accepted without complaint. Celestial City Academy’s hands were tied regarding Shen Daoxing. More critically, the Sword Institute had the backing of the Martial Kingdom’s emperor.
What worried Ren Changfeng even more was a different matter.
With Xia Junze’s death, not a single disciple in all of Celestial City Academy was a match for Shen Daoxing. And the annual tournament between the Sword Institute and Celestial City Academy was less than a year away.
If they lost, they would have to surrender Celestial City Mountain—something that had never happened in the academy’s thousand-year history. Were they to be cast out like stray dogs?
Ren Changfeng’s face grew darker and darker.
"We’re leaving!"
In the end, Ren Changfeng departed with Chen Guanggu and Bai Bo, their expressions utterly grim.
On the altar, the High Priest, after a moment of relief that the royal disciples had not been massacred, sank into deep worry. Because of this incident, the Martial Kingdom’s Dragon Vein had been lost. The entire kingdom had lost its national fortune and no longer possessed the strength to contend with neighboring countries. The future of the Martial Kingdom was in peril.
The High Priest took a step forward and asked worriedly, "Your Majesty, about the matter of the Dragon Vein today...?"
The Martial Kingdom Emperor’s expression grew somber. No one knew what he was thinking. At last, he turned to the National Preceptor beside him.
"National Preceptor Ouyang, I entrust this matter to you. You must ascertain exactly how those two assassins from the Li Kingdom managed to infiltrate the Trial Land."
National Preceptor Ouyang Rong clasped his hands in a respectful salute. "Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will investigate this matter thoroughly."
As they spoke, a dazzling light flared in the center of the altar, and the figures of Shen Daoxing and the others slowly materialized. They had returned safely from the Trial Land.
The Eldest Prince and the Seventh Prince exchanged a glance, then looked at Shen Daoxing with peculiar expressions.
Meanwhile, the Second Prince stepped forward and knelt before the Martial Kingdom Emperor, his face full of shame. "Father, your son was incompetent and failed to gain the Dragon Vein’s recognition. Please punish me!"
With a stony expression, the Martial Kingdom Emperor ignored the Second Prince and turned his gaze instead to Shen Daoxing.
The National Preceptor, the High Priest, and all the civil and military officials present also turned toward him in unison, their expressions peculiar.
With so many pairs of eyes on him, Shen Daoxing couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
’Apparently, they already know the Great Wu Dragon Vein entered my body.’
’But there was nothing I could do. I didn’t do a thing; the Dragon Vein came to me on its own.’
The Martial Kingdom Emperor said nothing, merely watching Shen Daoxing.
The surrounding officials began to murmur among themselves.
The blood of the ancient Ancestral Dragon, after all, flowed through the Martial Kingdom’s Royal Bloodline. They were the descendants of the True Dragon Emperor, and the Great Wu Dragon Vein was the power the Ancestral Dragon had left for them.
It was by this power that the Royal Family had reigned in this world for millennia without fail.
Therefore, the Dragon Vein was supposed to choose only a scion of the Royal Family.
But today, the Dragon Vein had actually chosen a youth with no Royal Bloodline whatsoever. This had never happened before; it was unheard of.
The one chosen by the Dragon Vein became the Crown Prince. In other words, according to the traditions of the Martial Kingdom, Shen Daoxing would be the next emperor.
But for the Royal Family to just hand over their throne like this?
That was clearly impossible!
No one spoke. The air grew thick with a quiet, awkward tension.
Finally, a portly, middle-aged man slowly stepped forward, breaking the silence. "Royal Brother, the Dragon Vein of our Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family absolutely cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of an outsider."
The speaker was King Xianqing, the Martial Kingdom Emperor’s younger brother. He had once been one of the main heirs to the throne, but the Dragon Vein had ultimately chosen Gu Yan.
King Xianqing understood that the Power of the Dragon Vein was the very foundation of their Royal Family, inextricably linked to the prosperity of future generations. It was a loss they could not afford.
If the Martial Kingdom Emperor couldn’t bring himself to speak for fear of losing face, then he would be the one to say it.
"The Dragon Vein has already chosen this young man! It cannot be changed," the High Priest said, pointing at Shen Daoxing.
"Then we will perform the ancestral rites anew," King Xianqing said slowly, enunciating each word. "A living sacrifice to retrieve the vein!"
’A living sacrifice?’
’That means they want to kill Shen Daoxing!’
The High Priest was startled.
The surrounding ministers began to murmur. Shen Daoxing had just turned the tide and saved all the princes and princesses, and now they wanted to kill him immediately. It was too heartless.
"Oh, wonderful. Just wonderful. My disciple, Shen Daoxing, has just saved a host of your princes, yet not only do you refuse to thank him, you now want to discard and kill him."
Bai Yi slowly stepped forward, unable to remain silent. "Is this what your Royal Family is all about?"
"If the Martial Kingdom loses the Dragon Vein, we will surely be coveted by neighboring nations. At that time, the entire kingdom will be plunged into war and its people will suffer unspeakably. This is a case of sacrificing the one for the many. For the sake of everyone, for the sake of the entire Martial Kingdom, Shen Daoxing must die."
King Xianqing explained, "When the time comes, our Martial Kingdom will give him a grand state burial, build a temple and erect a statue in his honor for the masses to worship, to commemorate his contribution to the Martial Kingdom."
"What a fine ’sacrificing the one for the many’! What a fine ’build a temple and erect a statue’!"
Bai Yi found it hilarious. "Is this how the Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family repays its benefactors?"
"As long as Bai Yi is here today, don’t even think about touching a single hair on Shen Daoxing’s head!"
As he spoke, Bai Yi lightly stamped his foot on the ground.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Everyone felt the world spin as the very ground beneath them trembled. Those with weaker cultivations fell flat with a THUD.
"Bai Yi, you..."
Unwilling to be intimidated, King Xianqing stepped forward and roared, "Do you think you can act so wantonly just because you’ve reached the Earth Profound Realm? Do you take our Royal Family for defenseless fools?"
"So what if I am? I’m acting wantonly because my realm is higher than yours. What are you going to do about it? If you have the nerve, tell that old fossil of your Royal Family to come out! All these years and he still hasn’t broken through. I bet his lifespan is about to run out, eh?"
Bai Yi lifted his straw-sandaled foot and rubbed it on his thigh, the picture of utter shamelessness.
"You..."
King Xianqing was seething. "Even if my ancestor is unable to break through, he is still a Great Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Earth Profound Realm! He’s more than a match for a junior like you who just entered the Earth Profound Realm. Don’t be so arrogant!"
"If that’s the case, then tell him to come out and fight me! I’ll wait for him right here! Go on, bring him out!" Bai Yi taunted, looking every bit the rogue.
After speaking, he completely disregarded his image, turned, presented his rear to King Xianqing, and gave it a few pats, utterly lacking the dignity of a master.
"Bai Yi, you..."
King Xianqing was fuming, so enraged he could barely speak. Bai Yi was the Grand Elder of the Sword Institute, and yet he behaved so... He opened his mouth to say more.
"Enough!"
The Martial Kingdom Emperor’s voice suddenly rang out.
"If not for Shen Daoxing, all of Our children would have perished in the Trial Land. He is a great benefactor of our Royal Family. How can We possibly treat him in such a manner?"
The Martial Kingdom Emperor came before Shen Daoxing with a benevolent smile. "Such a rare talent is a pillar of the state and should be heavily rewarded. Shen Daoxing, please follow me back to the imperial palace. You may choose any of the Celestial and Earthly Treasures from our Martial Kingdom’s treasury.
As for the matter of the Dragon Vein, We shall discuss it at a later date."
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