298: The Immortal Emperor Summons, the Emperor's Mindset

The Heaven-Reaching Secret Realm concluded, with Shen Yuanmo dominating to claim victory!

This news, accompanied by Immortal Emperor Ji Cangxuan’s undisguised hearty laughter, transformed into a storm sweeping through the Divine Capital.

In just half a day, every corner of Qiantian Divine Capital was discussing the same name.

Shen Yuanmo!

“Did you hear? The Secret Realm’s top spot wasn’t the Seventh Prince, nor Ye Wuchen, but someone from the Southern Wilderness!”

“Southern Wilderness? What true Dragon could emerge from such a backward place?”

“What do you know! My great-uncle’s nephew serves in the Imperial Guard and saw it with his own eyes! That Shen Yuanmo, by himself, suppressed all the Prodigies of the Divine Capital until they couldn’t breathe! Even the arrogant Huang Jiutian was half-killed by his single move!”

“My heavens, really? So fierce?”

“More than fierce! His Majesty the Immortal Emperor was overjoyed on the spot and praised him personally! Such treatment is unprecedented since the founding of our Great Qian Immortal Dynasty!”

Rumors spread like wildfire, their truth hard to discern.

For a time, Shen Yuanmo’s name was soaring in the Divine Capital.

Tianjiao Tower, ninety-ninth floor, Star Gazing Pavilion.

In the center of the mist-shrouded pavilion, Shen Yuanmo sat cross-legged, his mind completely immersed in the hard-won spirit realm law fragment.

He did not rush to refine the energy within it.

Instead, he used his Heaven-Defying Comprehension talent to repeatedly analyze the fragmented information about the vast Universe contained within the fragment.

Although the information was incomplete, each analysis deepened his understanding of “world,” “Universe,” and “Law.”

His Dao was constantly being affirmed and perfected in this process.

Just as he was immersed in this profound Epiphany.

“Thump, thump, thump.”

Outside the pavilion, a very respectful knocking sound echoed.

The Tianjiao Tower manager’s voice, humble to the core, came through the door.

“Divine General Shen, someone from the palace has arrived. His Majesty the Immortal Emperor has decreed for you to enter the palace immediately for an audience.”

Shen Yuanmo opened his eyes.

Within his deep eyes, chaotic Dao rhyme flowed, then returned to stillness.

“Understood.”

He calmly responded, put away the Law fragment, and stood up to dust off his green robe.

The Immortal Emperor’s summons was within his expectations.

His performance this time was too extraordinary.

It would be abnormal if this Emperor, who wielded the Luck of the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty, wasn’t curious about him... Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.

This place was the heart of power for the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty.

The hall was resplendent, every furnishing a rare treasure that could make Nascent Soul Cultivators fight over it.

A landscape painting on the wall was a genuine work by an ancient painting Grandmaster, forming a Small World within the painting itself, overflowing with Spiritual Qi.

The inkstone on the desk was carved from an entire piece of ten-thousand-year-old black jade; ink ground with it would increase the power of Talismans written by thirty percent out of thin air.

At this moment, within this extremely luxurious Imperial Study, there were only two people.

Immortal Emperor Ji Cangxuan and Shen Yuanmo.

Ji Cangxuan had changed out of his majestic Nine Dragon Emperor Robe, wearing only a bright yellow casual robe, and had dismissed all eunuchs and guards.

He didn't even sit on the dragon throne but sat opposite Shen Yuanmo at a thousand-year-old warm jade tea table.

He personally picked up the jade pot and poured a cup of tea for Shen Yuanmo.

The tea was jade green, and as steam rose, tiny Dao Pattern even appeared and disappeared within it.

“Yuan Mo, no need to be reserved, sit.”

His smile was gentle, like a kind elder appreciating a Junior.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Shen Yuanmo calmly took his seat, picked up the teacup, and took a light sip.

As the tea entered his throat, a clear, warm current rushed straight to his Sea of Consciousness, instantly washing away the fatigue from deducing Laws, and his Divine Soul felt lighter.

It was indeed good tea.

“Hehe, glad you like it.” Ji Cangxuan’s smile deepened.

“This tea is called ‘Enlightenment Immortal.’ It blooms once every three thousand years and bears fruit once every three thousand years. The entire imperial family can’t even harvest two liang a year. If you like it, I’ll have the Imperial Household Department send some to you later.”

His tone was intimate, not like that between a ruler and a subject.

“Your Majesty’s great kindness, Yuan Mo is undeserving.”

“Eh! Why are you undeserving?” Ji Cangxuan waved his hand, his gaze intensely fixed on Shen Yuanmo.

“You have won the spirit realm law fragment for our Great Qian, securing the Immortal Dynasty’s Luck for the next five hundred years! This is an unparalleled achievement! I shall certainly reward you handsomely!”

He paused slightly, then seemingly casually asked: “Yuan Mo, I observed that in the Secret Realm, you seemed to not use any magical power, yet you could easily suppress the likes of Xiang Fei and Huang Jiutian. Could it be... you cultivate the ancient Body Refining Dao?”

It’s here.

Shen Yuanmo’s heart was clear as a mirror.

This seemingly casual concern was precisely the beginning of the Emperor’s probing.

His expression unchanged, he replied neither obsequiously nor arrogantly: “Replying to Your Majesty, Yuan Mo does indeed have some slight involvement in Body Refining techniques.”

“Oh? Slight involvement?” The smile in Ji Cangxuan’s eyes held a hint of playfulness.

“To be able to defeat Barbarian King Xiang Fei with one finger and shatter a Phoenix's true body with one palm, your ‘slight involvement’ would probably make the Body Refining Grandmasters in my court feel utterly ashamed.”

“Yuan Mo, I am truly curious, from whom did you learn such heaven-reaching abilities? Or did you obtain some astonishing ancient Legacy?”

This question, like a sharp knife, went straight to the core.

If he admitted to having a master, he would have to disclose his sect’s origin.

Under the Immortal Emperor’s feet, any lie could be exposed in an instant.

If he claimed to have obtained an ancient Legacy, he would have to explain the contents of the Legacy.

However, Shen Yuanmo’s answer once again exceeded Ji Cangxuan’s expectations.

“Replying to Your Majesty, Yuan Mo has no master, no sect, and no Legacy.”

He met the Immortal Emperor’s soul-piercing gaze and calmly uttered the latter half of his sentence.

“All of my cultivation... I comprehended myself.”

Comprehended himself?

Ji Cangxuan’s hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air for a moment.

In the depths of his eyes, surging waves of shock rose!

He had reigned over this realm for thousands of years, witnessed countless Prodigies and countless Prodigies.

Yet, he had never heard of anyone who could, by merely “comprehending,” achieve a Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivation and a Physical Body capable of directly confronting Soul Transformation!

This was not a Genius!

This was an anomaly!

Ji Cangxuan fell silent.

He stared deeply at Shen Yuanmo, trying to find even the slightest trace of a lie on that calm face.

But he was disappointed.

Those eyes were clear, frank, like an ancient well without ripples.

Ji Cangxuan knew that his gentle probing had failed.

Since the soft approach didn’t work.

Then he would use the hard approach.

He put down the teacup, the smile on his face slowly receded, and his entire Aura, in an instant, underwent an earth-shattering change.

He was no longer the benevolent elder, but had reverted to the supreme ruler who commanded life and death, looking down upon the world!

“Shen Yuanmo, your talent is unprecedented. The shallow waters of the Southern Wilderness cannot hold a true Dragon like you.”

His voice became majestic, grand, carrying a fatal temptation.

“I desire to bestow upon you the title of ‘one-word co-regent king’! To be on equal footing with my Ji Imperial Family! I grant you the Imperial Family’s secret technique, the ‘Nine Dragons Suppressing Heaven Art,’ to enjoy the endless Dragon Qi blessings of our Great Qian Immortal Dynasty! Enter the imperial court, assist me, and in the future, this vast empire, you and I, ruler and subject, shall govern together!”

“What do you think?”

one-word co-regent king!

Ruler and subject govern together!

These eight words were an unparalleled reward, enough to drive any aristocratic family or Cultivator completely insane!

It was the highest honor, unprecedented since the founding of the Great Qian Immortal Dynasty!

Ji Cangxuan believed that no one in this world could refuse!

However, facing this awe-inspiring bestowal.

Shen Yuanmo’s face remained utterly calm.

He slowly shook his head.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s great kindness.”

“But, mortal power is not what I seek.”

His voice was very soft, yet every word was clear.

“My Dao lies beyond the Mortal World, in the sea of stars.”

He refused!

He actually refused!

Ji Cangxuan’s eyes instantly narrowed into a dangerous arc!

A cold, chilling, terrifying imperial might, capable of making a Deity Transformation Stage Mighty One’s Dao Heart collapse on the spot, suddenly descended!

The space within the Imperial Study groaned under the unbearable pressure, and the surface of the ten-thousand-year-old black jade inkstone on the desk actually condensed a layer of white frost!

“You mean...”

Ji Cangxuan’s voice was devoid of warmth, as if from the icy depths of the Nine Nether.

“You are refusing me?”

The terrifying pressure sought to grind Shen Yuanmo’s bones and Divine Soul inch by inch into dust.

Yet, Shen Yuanmo’s body remained as steady as a divine mountain.

He still calmly met Ji Cangxuan’s dragon eyes, now burning with rage, his tone indifferent, yet carrying an undeniable resolve.

“I only seek the Dao; I do not concern myself with worldly affairs.”

He paused, then changed the subject.

“However...”

“Should the Immortal Dynasty face hardship, the Shen Family will be the Immortal Dynasty’s sharpest sword.”