46: The dragon returns to the sea, and the emperor abdicates!

The official road stretched out like a ribbon, winding toward the west.

The silhouette of Tianjing City shrank behind them, eventually becoming a blurred ink dot on the horizon.

The group of four now had one more figure.

That figure was tall and slender, with a head of dazzling golden hair fluttering slightly in the wind. He walked at the back of the group, silent, yet naturally exuding a majesty that made one afraid to look directly at him.

Wang Duojin, carrying his bags, could not hold back any longer.

He quietly sidled up to the new Fourth Junior Brother, his eyes darting around him.

"Ahem, Fourth Junior Brother."

Zhao Wuyou did not stop his pace; his golden eyes glanced at him indifferently.

That single glance carried no emotion, yet it made Wang Duojin feel as if he were being stared at by an ancient giant beast, causing the hair on his body to stand on end.

"I... I am Wang Duojin, your Third Senior Brother." Wang Duojin forced a laugh, summoning his courage.

"From now on, we are a family. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask your Third Senior Brother! My abacus can calculate heavenly secrets, geography, and even romantic fates. I guarantee..."

"Noisy."

Zhao Wuyou only spat out two words.

That voice, seemingly carrying the pressure of a dragon's roar, rang directly within Wang Duojin's Sea of Consciousness.

Wang Duojin's head buzzed, his subsequent words stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single syllable.

He stumbled back two steps, hiding behind Su Linger, patting his chest, his face full of lingering fear.

"Second Senior Sister, this guy... is not someone to be trifled with."

Su Linger looked at the golden-haired figure, the silver bell on her wrist jingling softly.

She could feel that the overbearing aura on the other party was distinct from her own Frost Dao Body, yet it was faintly resonating.

It was the mutual sensing of two kinds of ultimate power.

Ye Chenfeng, walking at the very front, paused.

He turned around, looking at Zhao Wuyou, his expression calm.

"Ye Chenfeng."

Zhao Wuyou's golden eyes also turned toward him.

He could feel, within the body of this green-robed youth before him, a Sword Intent so pure and extreme it seemed capable of severing everything.

He nodded slightly.

"Zhao Wuyou."

Two simple names constituted their first exchange.

No more words were needed; among the strong, there is a natural way of communicating.

"Alright."

Chu Xuanjin, walking at the very front, finally spoke.

He did not look back, yet his voice clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Wuyou, you have just entered the Sect; there are some rules you need to know."

Zhao Wuyou immediately took a step forward, his expression respectful.

"Please instruct me, Revered Master."

"My Myriad Dao Divine Sect does not have its mountain gate in the secular world."

Chu Xuanjin's voice drifted over.

"It is a mustard-seed world independent of the Azure Cloud Continent, known as the Myriad Dao Divine Mountain. That is where our Foundation lies."

A hint of realization flashed in Zhao Wuyou's eyes.

No wonder he had never heard the name of this Sect.

So it was a world unto itself.

Chu Xuanjin raised his hand, and a token cast entirely from purple gold, carved with coiled dragon patterns, appeared in his palm.

This token appeared more noble and substantial than the green jade tokens of Ye Chenfeng and the others.

"This is the Myriad Dao Divine Sect disciple token."

"Drip blood to recognize your Revered Master."

The token floated slowly toward Zhao Wuyou.

Zhao Wuyou did not hesitate in the slightest, forcing a drop of golden blood from his fingertip to drip onto the token.

Hum—

The token shone brightly, instantly merging into his palm and disappearing.

An absolute contract originating from his Divine Soul was established between him and the elusive Myriad Dao Divine Sect.

"With this token, no matter where you are, you can return to the Divine Mountain with a single thought. It can also block a fatal attack for you in a moment of crisis."

"Within the Sect, gold and silver do not circulate; only contribution points are used to exchange for what you need. Cultivation Techniques, Medicinal Pills, and Magic Treasures are all available."

"As for how to obtain contribution points, you will know in the future."

Chu Xuanjin paused, then added another sentence.

"Under our Sect, there is an affiliated Sect called the Qingyun Branch. It is managed by external Elders and is responsible for handling some secular chores."

"You only need to know that as a Personal Disciple of my Myriad Dao Divine Sect, your status is transcendent. You need not concern yourself with those secular matters."

Zhao Wuyou bowed.

"This Disciple understands."

Chu Xuanjin nodded and said no more.

He had said all that needed to be said.

The rest required him to integrate and experience it himself.

The four figures continued westward.

Behind them, Tianjing City, which had just experienced a change in imperial power, was stirring up an even greater storm.

...

Great Zhao Imperial Palace, Taihe Hall.

Civil and military officials stood below the hall, silent.

The atmosphere was so oppressive it seemed almost frozen.

Zhao Zheng, with white hair and beard, took off the black dragon robe symbolizing supreme power, wearing only ordinary brocade clothes, and stood below the cinnabar steps.

And the former Crown Prince, now the new Emperor of Great Zhao, Zhao Wuji, wore a nine-clawed golden dragon robe and sat on that cold dragon throne.

In his hand, he tightly gripped the Low Grade Immortal Artifact Imperial Jade Seal bestowed by Chu Xuanjin.

The jade seal was warm, and streams of pure Dragon Qi were constantly nourishing his body and Divine Soul.

"By the grace of the heavens, having accepted the abdication of the former Emperor, I have ascended to the throne."

Zhao Wuji's voice was clear and majestic, echoing within the vast hall.

"However, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and a ruler cannot be without the Dao for a day."

He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the eyes below that were either shocked, fearful, or calculating.

"Today, I have another matter to announce to the world."

"From this day forward, I, Zhao Wuji, have entered the Myriad Dao Divine Sect and become a Named Disciple under Sect Master Chu Xuanjin!"

Boom!

This sentence was even more shocking than the abdication ceremony earlier!

The entire Taihe Hall completely exploded!

"What? His Majesty wants to join a Sect?"

"Myriad Dao Divine Sect? Isn't that the mysterious Sect that only became famous yesterday?"

"A ruler of a country, how can he become someone else's Disciple? This... where does this put the face of Great Zhao!"

An elderly imperial censor with white hair tremblingly walked out of the ranks, knelt on the ground, and wept.

"Your Majesty! Please reconsider! This act violates ancestral traditions and will make the world laugh at us!"

Zhao Wuji looked at him with no expression on his face.

He slowly raised the Imperial Jade Seal in his hand.

Hum—

A golden light shot up from the jade seal, instantly connecting with the Luck Golden Dragon above the imperial city.

The entire Taihe Hall was enveloped in an irresistible imperial pressure.

The elderly censor's voice stopped abruptly.

All discussion disappeared.

The officials only felt their Divine Souls trembling under this pressure.

"My decision is made."

Zhao Wuji's voice was cold and overbearing.

"Who agrees, who opposes?"

The hall was deathly silent.

No one dared to speak.

Zhao Wuji looked at the faces below, trembling in fear, and for the first time, understood what true Law-Following Speech was.

He knew that all of this stemmed from that man's name.

And also from the small jade seal in his hand.

...

Tianjing City, Sacrificial Altar Square.

The hidden dragon gold ranking hanging high in the sky, after being silent for a night, shone brightly once again.

Countless Cultivators who were discussing yesterday's events in the square looked up in unison.

They saw that on the ranking, at the twenty-eighth position.

The name "Great Zhao Imperial Family, Zhao Wuji" was slowly flickering.

Then, after the name, the four characters representing his power began to twist and change.

Eventually, they turned into four brand-new golden characters branded with supreme majesty.

【 Myriad Dao Divine Sect 】

The entire Tianjing City fell into a deathly silence once again.

If Ye Chenfeng's sword yesterday was thunder on flat ground.

Then today, the new Emperor's decision was a magnitude twelve earthquake sweeping across the entire Eastern Wasteland!

"Crazy... they are all crazy..."

An Elder of a Sect from outside the region muttered to himself in a daze.

"First, a Prodigy enters the world, then an Emperor becomes a Disciple... what exactly does this Myriad Dao Divine Sect want to do?"

"Do they want to rule the entire Eastern Wasteland with the power of one Sect?"

This thought, like a devil's seed, took root and sprouted in everyone's hearts.

Countless urgent communication jade talismans turned into streams of light, flying from Tianjing City in all directions.

The sky of the Eastern Wasteland was truly changing.

In teahouses, taverns, and marketplaces.

All Cultivators were talking about the same name.

Myriad Dao Divine Sect.

This name, which no one knew two days ago, was now like a glorious sun, hanging high in the sky of the Eastern Wasteland, which no one dared to look at directly.

They did not know.

At the center of this storm, the man they were discussing, guessing, and fearing, was currently leading his four Disciples with their distinct styles, walking on a country path leading to desolate mountains and treacherous waters.

On his face, there was even a hint of laziness from just waking up.