Chapter 125: Chapter 125: The True Dragon Has Manifested
The people of the imperial city noticed the sky suddenly change color. Looking up, they saw a colossal golden dragon materializing above them, radiating a sacred aura and bathing the city in a brilliant, golden light.
"A True Dragon Emperor!"
"The True Dragon has revealed itself!"
"Long live the Emperor! Long live, long live the Emperor!"
Without exception, the entire city’s populace knelt before the golden dragon in the sky, their faces filled with sincere and pious devotion.
Meanwhile, the elders of the Royal Family, hidden away within the imperial palace, all looked up in excitement.
"The power of the Dragon Vein Origin... This is the true power of the Dragon Vein."
They were both thrilled and embarrassed.
They were thrilled because after so many years, the Dragon Vein Origin had finally appeared. In the past, whenever princes entered the Trial Land, even those who earned the Dragon Vein’s acknowledgment only received its blessing. They never obtained the entirety of the Dragon Vein Power.
Now, through a stroke of fate, the Dragon Vein had actually emerged from the Trial Land.
Their embarrassment stemmed from the fact that the person who had obtained the power of the Dragon Vein Origin was not a disciple of their Royal Family.
Outside, the soldiers and General Hu Wei guarding the Treasure Pavilion saw the strange phenomenon and stared in shock at the building’s interior. A few of the weaker-willed soldiers were on the verge of dropping to their knees to kowtow and only managed to remain standing with the help of their comrades.
The Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family had kept the matter of Shen Daoxing obtaining the Dragon Vein a secret, so many people were unaware of the full story.
Therefore, the soldiers present, including General Hu Wei, were all bewildered as to why this ordinary-looking young man possessed the Dragon Vein Power that symbolized the Royal Family.
Even the old caretaker of the Treasure Pavilion, who had been dozing off, was now wide awake, gazing into the building with a strange expression.
’Is a storm about to break over the Martial Kingdom?’
The old man muttered to himself under his breath.
TAP TAP TAP TAP!
At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out.
Eunuch Li rushed over from outside, pushed open the great doors of the Treasure Pavilion, and froze on the spot.
He saw that all the wooden shelves on the first floor, both large and small, were completely bare. The Primordial Spirit Pills, Dragon Tail Grass, Thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng—everything was gone.
"You refined all the Immortal Herb Elixirs on the first floor?"
Eunuch Li was stunned.
A person’s cultivation speed is limited. Often, even with sufficient resources, one can’t necessarily advance their cultivation level quickly, not to mention the bottlenecks between realms. This was why Eunuch Li had felt confident enough to leave Shen Daoxing to cultivate in the Treasure Pavilion.
How could he have known that Shen Daoxing could open one hundred and eight acupoints, and that his cultivation speed was far beyond that of any ordinary person?
Eunuch Li stared, dumbfounded, at the empty Treasure Pavilion, his heart aching at the loss. These were the cultivation resources the Martial Kingdom had painstakingly accumulated!
However, he quickly composed himself, not forgetting the official business that had brought him here.
Then, Eunuch Li cleared his throat and said slowly, "Young Master Shen, His Majesty summons you!"
’His Majesty wants to see me?’
Shen Daoxing paused for a moment. The Martial Kingdom’s Emperor had left him hanging for so many days and was finally going to see him.
But with a shift in his expression, Shen Daoxing instead dashed toward the second floor of the Treasure Pavilion.
’???’
"Young Master Shen, what are you doing?" Eunuch Li was completely baffled.
"Tell His Majesty to wait. I’ll come out after I’ve refined all the treasures on this second floor," Shen Daoxing said lightly.
This was the Treasure Pavilion, the Martial Kingdom’s treasury. Once he left, he would never have the chance to enter again. If he didn’t plunder such a fine place clean before leaving, he would be doing himself a great disservice.
"..."
Eunuch Li was rendered speechless.
"Young Master Shen, there’s no need for that," Eunuch Li said. "His Majesty has just decreed that as long as you remain in the palace, you may freely use not only the treasures in this Pavilion, but all the cultivation resources of the entire Royal Family. There will be no restrictions."
Shen Daoxing immediately stopped climbing the stairs and turned around. "Is what you’re saying true?"
"Absolutely true!"
Eunuch Li nodded.
"Alright, then I’ll go with you to see His Majesty," Shen Daoxing said with a smile as he walked back down the stairs.
Shaking his head, both exasperated and amused, Eunuch Li led Shen Daoxing out of the Treasure Pavilion.
「Martial Kingdom Imperial Palace, Jinluan Hall.」
The Emperor of the Martial Kingdom sat upon the Dragon Throne, silent and solemn.
Below him, the hall was already filled with princes and nobles. They bowed their heads, whispering amongst themselves, but not a single court minister was in sight.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the hall, and a tall, middle-aged man with a commanding presence strode inside.
The newcomer’s gaze was sharp, his expression severe, and his pitch-black eyes were chilling to behold. It was none other than King Zhenwu, Gu Tian.
Gu Tian was the current Martial Kingdom Emperor’s younger brother. His cultivation and strength ranked him among the most formidable masters in the kingdom, a veritable pillar of the nation.
Decades ago, when the Li Kingdom sent a horde of masters to invade the imperial city, it was Gu Tian who had turned the tide and saved the Martial Kingdom.
In his time, Gu Tian had been just like the Second Prince of today—the most outstanding among all the princes, with the highest prestige, and the most likely candidate to become the next emperor.
Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, the Dragon Vein ultimately chose the current Martial Kingdom Emperor, Gu Yan.
"Brother, I hear the Dragon Vein of our Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family has fallen into the hands of an outsider?"
King Zhenwu strode forward aggressively. He didn’t bow, and his tone was accusatory.
"That is correct."
The Martial Kingdom’s Emperor nodded. He did not reprimand King Zhenwu, seemingly accustomed to his attitude.
"Then what are we waiting for? Kill the man and take back the Dragon Vein! How can the Dragon Vein of our Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family be defiled by another?"
King Zhenwu’s eyes suddenly turned vicious.
"That’s right! The Dragon Vein of our Martial Kingdom’s Royal Family must not be defiled by an outsider!"
King Xianqing stepped forward in agreement, bowed respectfully to the Martial Kingdom’s Emperor, and said, "I implore you, Brother, order the living sacrifice of that Shen Daoxing!"
As King Xianqing stepped forward, the other princes and nobles followed suit, kneeling before the Martial Kingdom’s Emperor and shouting in unison, "We implore Your Majesty to order the living sacrifice of Shen Daoxing!"
BANG!
With a heavy slam, the Martial Kingdom’s Emperor struck the Dragon Throne, roaring in anger, "Are you trying to force my hand?"
King Xianqing’s expression remained unchanged. "Your Majesty, we are only thinking of the entire Royal Family. Without the Dragon Vein, how can our Royal Family maintain its footing in the Martial Kingdom in the future?"
"Indeed, Your Majesty! We are thinking of the good of the entire Royal Family!"
The crowd chimed in with agreements.
"This was the Dragon Vein’s own choice, a manifestation of the Dragon Ancestor’s will. It is not something we can change," the Martial Kingdom’s Emperor said coolly, suppressing his anger.
"The Dragon Ancestor?"
King Zhenwu laughed. "The Dragon Ancestor ascended and left this world thousands of years ago. There has been no word since. Why would it care about our Martial Kingdom?"
He then added meaningfully, "Brother, don’t tell me you intend to follow the Martial Kingdom’s tradition and pass the throne to that brat?"
"Your Majesty, you mustn’t! The throne of our Martial Kingdom can never be passed to an outsider!"
An old man from the Royal Family cried out, dropping to his knees with a THUD before the Martial Kingdom’s Emperor and kowtowing heavily.
"Yes, Your Majesty! The throne of our Martial Kingdom must never be passed to an outsider!"
The assembled princes and nobles cried out in unison.
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