78: Are you…worthy of it?

“Five Great Sects…”

Xu Sanyan murmured, wondering if The Supreme Truth and Serenity Scripture of Eliminating Illusion and Attaining Reality he cultivated was from one of these Five Great Sects.

Lan Yue said, “Of course, Central Province doesn't just have Sects; there are also various aristocratic families and powerful clans. Some top-tier families are no weaker than the Five Great Sects. Fellow Daoist, if you go to Central Province, you must act carefully.”

Xu Sanyan nodded, “Thank you.”

Lan Yue then asked curiously, “May I be so bold as to ask, Fellow Daoist, how old are you?”

Xu Sanyan paused slightly, “Twenty-five.”

In truth, he was only nineteen, but to avoid being too astonishing, he added a few years. After all, Cultivators have long Lifespans, and their age cannot be discerned from their appearance.

Lan Yue's eyes lit up, and she praised, “Fellow Daoist is truly extraordinarily gifted with an uncommon Immortal destiny. To achieve Foundation Establishment at such a young age, your future prospects are limitless.”

Lan Yue was already eighty-six this year, yet she appeared to be only in her thirties. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator's Lifespan can reach over three hundred years, so she was merely in her prime.

“Fairy, you flatter me,” Xu Sanyan humbly replied.

The two then chatted for a few more moments before Xu Sanyan clasped his hands and took his leave.

He planned to set off for Central Province in the coming days!

As soon as Xu Sanyan stepped out of Guan Tian Pavilion, a eunuch was waiting outside with clothes in hand, “Son-in-Law, your servant will take you to find Your Highness, the Princess.”

Xu Sanyan's lips curved into a smile. He took the clothes and draped them over himself, “Let's go.”

Then, with a thought, the panel in his vision appeared. Xu Sanyan looked at the remaining thirty-six points of “Qi” and, after a moment of thought, clicked the plus sign next to the Blood Demon Corpse Refining Method.

The thirty-six points of “Qi” instantly evaporated by more than half, leaving only eight points.

In an instant, many insights appeared in his mind. He now knew more clearly how to better control the Blood Demon, and the Blood Demon's abilities were also enhanced.

His Physical Body became harder, his movements swifter, and his fingers sharper…

The old eunuch watched Xu Sanyan standing still, not daring to disturb him, and waited obediently to the side.

After Xu Sanyan completely absorbed the insights, he finally took a step, “Let's go.”

“Yes,” the old eunuch bowed and led the way.

After passing through several long streets, a courtyard appeared ahead, with three large characters written on the plaque above the gate.

“Wangshan Residence”

Xu Sanyan's steps paused slightly. He closed his eyes to sense, then smiled and strode through the vermilion gate, only to see a figure sitting quietly on a pavilion in the waterside pavilion ahead.

It was the Qi Emperor.

“Heh heh… Your Majesty is in good spirits,” Xu Sanyan said with a smile as he approached.

The Qi Emperor turned his head, throwing all the fish food in his hand into the water, and said calmly, “I am sixty-two this year. I took over the position of Prince Rui at thirty-seven. In thirty-five years, I have served under two emperors. If we go by seniority, I am the former Emperor's grand-uncle.”

Xu Sanyan listened quietly, not interrupting.

“Over these many years, I have seen countless heroes, such as my eldest son, who reached Heavenly Human Realm Perfection at twenty-four, yet after seven years of stagnation, still could not cross that Heavenly Chasm.”

A hint of melancholy flickered in the Qi Emperor's eyes, “And my fourth son, who deeply understood the Dao of biding his time, never showing his hand, and whose talent was even greater, yet he also failed to enter the Foundation Establishment Realm.”

“But… I have never seen anyone with talent as high as yours, and no one can even come close.”

Xu Sanyan's expression remained unchanged, watching the fish swim at the bottom of the lake.

The Qi Emperor looked at Xu Sanyan, “Do you know that I truly rebelled for this throne?”

“No…”

Before Xu Sanyan could answer, the Qi Emperor shook his head to himself, “The Dao of Immortal Ascension is right before my eyes. How can a mere throne compare?”

Xu Sanyan actually admired this. Compared to the throne and the Immortal Dao, the priority was clear at a glance.

“Qiyuan is dead. You will never see her again,” the Qi Emperor looked at Xu Sanyan, seemingly trying to discern something from his expression.

But he was destined to be disappointed; Xu Sanyan's expression remained unchanged, showing no fluctuation.

“Heh heh… Indeed, how could one who has reached the Foundation Establishment Realm at such an age be troubled by matters of love?”

Xu Sanyan's gaze shifted from the water's surface and met the Qi Emperor's eyes directly, “Your Majesty, what exactly do you mean by saying all this?”

The Qi Emperor smiled and said, “You truly don't know?”

Xu Sanyan shook his head and remained silent.

“When you arrived in Xiang City half a year ago, I was already at Heavenly Human Realm Perfection, while you were merely at the initial stage of the Heavenly Human Realm. But looking again now, you have already successfully achieved Foundation Establishment.”

A strong greed appeared in the Qi Emperor's eyes, “In half a year, you have crossed an entire major Realm. If I say this is due to talent, do you believe it?”

The Qi Emperor asked in return.

Xu Sanyan's lips curved into a smile, “I don't believe it.”

The Qi Emperor didn't expect such an answer from him. He was stunned for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed loudly, “Hahahaha… Indeed, I don't believe it either.”

As the laughter gradually subsided, the Qi Emperor stated his purpose, “As long as you share this secret with me, I am willing to hand over the throne to you. My women, my empire, everything will be given to you!”

“If you are willing, I can even become sworn brothers with you. From now on, we will be loyal to each other and jointly achieve the Great Dao!”

The Qi Emperor's eyes were firm, and his face was serious.

Xu Sanyan's expression was hesitant, “You…”

“Are you worthy?”

As these two words fell, an indifferent look appeared in the Qi Emperor's eyes. He waved his hand lightly, and outside the courtyard, the sound of neat footsteps and clashing armor could be heard.

“Xu Sanyan, my army has surrounded this place. No matter how high your cultivation, the magical power within your Qi Sea will eventually be exhausted. If you change your mind now, what I just said still stands.”

Xu Sanyan's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a smile, “Army… Heh heh.”

Since achieving Foundation Establishment, Xu Sanyan had not yet gone all out. Now was a good opportunity to test his strength.

The Qi Emperor sighed, “I originally did not wish to kill you. I hope you will consider carefully.”

Xu Sanyan shook his head, “Your mistake was getting this close to me.”

The Qi Emperor laughed, “Heh heh, it seems I have been underestimated.”

Suddenly, a thick black mist appeared behind Xu Sanyan. From within the black mist came a suppressed roar, and a slender figure stepped out.

“Come on, let me see what capabilities you, a man who kills his son and lusts after his daughter, truly possess!” Xu Sanyan stood still, with two figures standing behind him, one tall and one short.

The tall one was entirely black, slightly hunched, with arms reaching past its knees, three finger-like blades, a vertical eye on its forehead, and a gaping, blood-red mouth with sharp fangs protruding below the eye.

The short one wore a black robe and a mask, appearing unremarkable.

The Qi Emperor's expression was normal. He dared to let Xu Sanyan approach because he had confidence.

As a gentle breeze blew, the Qi Emperor's golden Dragon robe billowed, and his exposed hands gradually turned a faint red.

“Bang!”

The Dragon robe exploded, revealing the Qi Emperor's naked body, his muscles bulging and entirely blood-red, even his eyes turning crimson.

Xu Sanyan pursed his lips. With a thought, the Blood Demon's dark figure moved like a flash of lightning. Its three sharp fingers sliced through the air, emitting a piercing, ear-splitting sound.

“Sizzle—”

The Blood Demon's fingers slashed across the Qi Emperor's chest, producing a grating sound that made one's teeth ache, like someone scratching glass with sharp nails.

“Kill!”

Seeing this, the soldiers outside the courtyard brandished their long blades and charged in.

Xu Sanyan didn't look back, still focused on the battle between the Blood Demon and the Qi Emperor. Only, the Fiend behind him had vanished, reappearing to pierce someone's throat.