118: continue

As if seeing through Zhou Zhenyue's thoughts, Zhou Tianming suddenly explained, "Zhenyue, His Majesty specifically instructed that this matter can only be spoken of after meeting the Ninth Prince."

"To be honest, me telling you now is also taking a risk."

Upon hearing this, the unpleasantness in Zhou Zhenyue's heart instantly vanished without a trace. He then said, beaming with joy, "Imperial Uncle, rest assured, this matter is entirely Zhenyue's decision to know, and it has nothing to do with Imperial Uncle."

"If Father pursues this, Zhenyue will naturally bear all responsibility."

"How can that be?" Zhou Tianming waved his hand in refusal, "No matter what, I am still your Imperial Uncle. How can I let a Junior like you bear such a thing!"

"Imperial Uncle~" Zhou Zhenyue called out, a little moved.

"Cough~" Zhou Tianming coughed awkwardly, finding it hard to keep up the act.

So, he quickly said, "Alright, it's time for serious business. Next, let's go meet this Ice Peak Zhenren."

"I hope he's sensible!"

With that, he took the lead and left the golden war chariot.

Zhou Zhenyue glanced at Zhou Jingxing with disdain and followed closely behind.

As for Zhou Jingxing, he watched Zhou Zhenyue's departing back, a cold sneer playing on his lips, and also followed.

A moment later, Zhou Tianming came before Li Xiangyun to confront him. The moment he saw him, he was stunned, "How is this possible? He's already reached Late-stage Golden Core?"

One month ago, when he first met Li Xiangyun at the Spirit Beast Sect, Li Xiangyun was only at the Mid-stage Golden Core, and even his Spiritual Qi accumulation had a long way to go, let alone Late-stage Golden Core.

But what was this situation now?

At this moment, Zhou Tianming was immensely grateful for Emperor Yongchang's decision, because Li Xiangyun's Cultivation speed was simply too terrifying.

And such a person must either die or be completely controlled by the Great Zhou Dynasty.

However, Zhou Jingxing did not act overbearing from the start; instead, he greeted him with a warm smile, "Ice Peak Zhenren, how have you been recently?"

And this was the respect that strength brought.

"Hehe." Li Xiangyun sneered, "I was doing quite well, but now that I see you all, I'm not."

"Speak, what exactly is the matter?"

It wasn't that Li Xiangyun's attitude was bad; it was just that this kind of matter had nothing to do with attitude.

After all, even if one's attitude was excellent, or even if one knelt down and begged for mercy, would the other party let them go?

No!

Instead, they would think you were easy to bully!

Just as Zhou Tianming's attitude was good now, would this change his inner thoughts?

No!

Therefore, rather than being obsequious, it was better to be tough to the end.

Upon hearing this, before Zhou Tianming and Zhou Baishui could speak, Zhou Zhenyue was the first to scold, "Li Xiangyun, what kind of thing is your Li Family?

"Facing my Great Zhou Royal Army, not only did you not kneel and beg for mercy, you even dared to mock us! I think your Li Family deserves to be annihilated!"

As he spoke these words, Zhou Zhenyue even felt a sense of smugness, as even with his status, he rarely had the opportunity to curse a Golden Core.

"You're courting death!" Li Xiangyun's eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous Aura emanating from them, and a powerful Aura rose up.

"Ice Peak Zhenren, don't get agitated!"

Realizing something was wrong, Zhou Tianming and Zhou Baishui quickly shielded Zhou Zhenyue.

Although they also felt that Zhou Zhenyue was a bit of an idiot, he was, after all, a Great Zhou Prince, and his maternal clan was the Northern Region Yue Family.

Therefore, they couldn't just watch Zhou Zhenyue get into trouble.

But just then, Zhou Jingxing suddenly, with bloodshot eyes, punched Zhou Zhenyue in the face.

"How dare you insult my Revered Master, I'll beat you to death!"

Caught off guard, Zhou Zhenyue was sent flying by a punch, covering his face, he said in disbelief,

"Zhou Jingxing, you actually dared to hit me?"

"No, Zhou Jingxing, when did you Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage?"

Zhou Zhenyue, suspended in mid-air, was first shocked, then angry, and finally surprised.

After all, before, Zhou Jingxing had only just Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment not long ago, and like him, he was at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

But now, after only a few days apart, he had already Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage... Clearly, this was the Azure Lotus Pill at work.

Zhou Tianming, noticing this point, was also somewhat surprised. What kind of magic did this Li Family possess? Li Xiangyun was like this, and Zhou Jingxing, who had only entered the Li Family a few days ago, was also like this.

Recalling the Foundation Establishment cultivators that had appeared in the Li Family three years ago.

A hint of greed flashed in Zhou Tianming's heart, and he became even more curious about the Li Family's secret.

"How dare you insult my Revered Master, I'm hitting you!"

Saying that, Zhou Jingxing continued to punch at Zhou Zhenyue.

Seeing this, Zhou Tianming quickly stopped him.

After a simple scolding, the two's farce ended.

But looking at Zhou Jingxing not far away, a murderous intent surged in Zhou Zhenyue's heart, "How dare you hit me? Zhou Jingxing, I will definitely kill you!"

At the same time, Li Xiangyun, who witnessed all of this, also felt some relief, "The Azure Lotus Pill wasn't given in vain!"

Afterward, Zhou Tianming began to speak about serious matters.

He said with a smile, "Actually, this King has come this time to convey a few good things!"

"Good things?" Li Xiangyun said disdainfully, "Spit it out!"

"You..." At this moment, even Zhou Tianming felt a bit of anger, but he still held it back and said with a smile, "The first good thing is that His Majesty wishes to invite Ice Peak Zhenren to join the court as an official."

"Currently, the Demonic Path is rampant, harming the common people. Ice Peak Zhenren is powerful and should join my Great Zhou Dynasty to fight for the protection of the common people."

In fact, while the Great Zhou Dynasty seemingly controlled the five provinces, the only one actually controlled by the Great Zhou Dynasty was the Central Province.

The actual control of the Southern Barbarian Province and the other three provinces lay with the Nascent Soul powers of their respective regions.

This could actually be seen from the fact that Purple Cloud City had not had a City Lord for several centuries.

And because of this, the original Purple Cloud was not accountable to the Great Zhou Dynasty, but to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

In other words, my vassal is not your vassal.

Of course, as the nominal controllers of the five provinces, the Great Zhou Dynasty collected vast amounts of tribute from the four provinces every year.

After all, this was a Cultivation world, so it naturally couldn't be like a mortal Dynasty.

Therefore, the so-called Great Zhou Dynasty was actually more like a Family, and other forces were vassals surrounding this Family.

There was nothing wrong with this, after all, this was a world where strength was respected. What the Great Zhou Dynasty needed were only the resources of the five provinces, used to support the entire Great Zhou Dynasty and maintain its transcendent status.

As for management?

Who would be so idle as to not Cultivate Immortality, and instead worry about those trivial matters all day long?

Didn't even wise figures like Emperor Qin and Emperor Han, in their old age, pursue immortality?

As long as one's strength was great, who could shake the rule of the Great Zhou Dynasty?

Therefore, in other words, the so-called invitation for Li Xiangyun to join the court was actually to make him a Family servant of the Great Zhou Imperial Family, just with a nicer name – a subject.

To this, Li Xiangyun did not immediately react, but said lightly, "Continue!"

He wanted to see what other excessive demands this Emperor Yongchang could make...