364: A seventeen-year-old Golden Body Realm expert!

Empress Yan Yuzhu has come out of seclusion!

This seclusion lasted for a full three months.

In the inner palace, Empress Yan Yuzhu was dressed immaculately in a black imperial robe, wearing a crown. Her flawless, beautiful face showed no trace of weariness, and her eyes, like stars, held a hint of gloom amidst their brilliance.

"The time is getting longer and longer. How much time do I have left?"

"It seems I need to resolve this as quickly as possible, sigh..."

No one knew the intensity of the struggle within Empress Yan Yuzhu, beneath her strong and calm exterior.

Since half a year ago, when more than a dozen Imperial Dynasties attacked Great Qi, and a group of extraordinary Heavenly Phenomenon Realm experts secretly ganged up against her, it caused her immense trouble.

Outsiders only saw Empress Yan Yuzhu, with her own strength, repeatedly crushing the invasions of foreign enemies, but in reality, Empress Yan Yuzhu's biggest problem did not come from outside at all.

Instead, it came from within!

From the moment she chose to fuse with the Imperial Dao Dragon Qi and bear the Luck of the Imperial Dynasty's Dragon Vein, her fate was already sealed.

The emperors of the Great Qi Dynasty throughout history all had very short lifespans. Everyone thought this was due to a problem with their own cultivation, that because their own strength was too great, they suffered from the jealousy of heaven!

If that were truly the case, then so be it!

But the truth was that all the emperors, in order to maintain their own dominance and make the Great Qi Dynasty stronger and stronger, chose to take this step.

Dying young?

No, it was merely the cycle of Karma!

"Your Majesty, the Chief of the Demon and Monster Department, the Chief of the Martial Suppression Division, and the Marshal have all arrived."

Outside the hall, a young eunuch stepped in, knelt respectfully on the ground, and reported.

The first thing Empress Yan Yuzhu did after coming out was to summon the Chief Directors of the various departments to discuss solutions to Great Qi's predicament.

Especially Marshal Xuanyuan Longcheng's visit to the capital this time, it was particularly important!

"Let them wait in the Fengtian Hall!"

"Attendants, prepare the imperial carriage!"

An emperor must possess imperial dignity. No matter how dire the situation, one must maintain calmness and composure. This is crucial for stabilizing the entire situation.

If Empress Yan Yuzhu had rushed over herself, it would not only diminish the emperor's dignity, but also make many ministers feel that the emperor was too frivolous and unable to command the situation.

"As you command."

The young eunuch quickly went to prepare, and the other eunuchs in the hall also began preparing for the imperial carriage... Inside the Fengtian Hall, three chairs were placed. Marshal Xuanyuan Longcheng, Chief Director Situ Kuanglei of the Demon and Monster Department, and Chief Director Xie Tianjian of the Martial Suppression Division had been waiting there for a while.

As a place for discussing state affairs and holding court, the grand hall was resplendent, solemn, and profound.

The golden Dragon Throne was placed in the highest position. On this chair, nine Dragons coiled, representing supreme power, attracting countless people to contend for it.

But those who could truly sit firmly on this position were all outstanding individuals of the Great Qi Imperial Family!

Empress Yan Yuzhu had ascended to the throne with great power back then. How perilous the process was, only a few trusted ministers knew; the inside story was largely unknown to others.

Fortunately, she succeeded, and she did very well. As her strength grew, her prestige deepened, earning her the recognition and support of all civil and military officials.

"His Majesty arrives!"

Outside the hall, a sharp and clear voice rang out.

Xuanyuan Longcheng, Situ Kuanglei, and Xie Tianjian immediately rose from their seats and went to greet her at the hall entrance.

Empress Yan Yuzhu did not enter from the back courtyard but directly from the front, showing her respect for these important ministers.

The Empress, in a black Dragon robe, was full of heroic spirit, her Aura contained, as if merged with heaven and earth!

Her supreme noble temperament exuded an air of dominance in every gesture.

This kind of Aura was rarely seen in a woman, but Empress Yan Yuzhu was one of the rare few.

"Your subjects respectfully greet Your Majesty!"

The three old ministers bowed respectfully, without any hint of relying on their age.

This was proof of Empress Yan Yuzhu's strong leadership over the years.

Without absolute authority, how could these old ministers willingly prostrate themselves before her?

Empress Yan Yuzhu stepped forward, lightly raising her sleeve, and an invisible force gently lifted.

"My esteemed elders, there is no need for such formality; please be seated."

The invisible force swept past, and the three important ministers were effortlessly helped up by her.

To be able to do this was already a sign of sufficient regard.

This made Xuanyuan Longcheng and the other two very grateful for the imperial grace.

"Your Majesty, please take the main seat."

The three old ministers naturally understood etiquette. After respectfully escorting Empress Yan Yuzhu to sit on the Dragon Throne, they dared to sit down themselves.

"Marshal, what is the situation at the border?"

Empress Yan Yuzhu spoke without any superfluous words, immediately inquiring about the situation.

This was to let Xuanyuan Longcheng report directly, which was precisely the purpose of Xuanyuan Longcheng's return.

Xuanyuan Longcheng cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the sixteen Imperial Dynasty rulers gathered in Southern Buddha a few days ago. A few days later, the military strength of the sixteen Imperial Dynasties greatly increased, and the pressure on the western border's defenses suddenly surged."

"The Nanyuan Domain and the Southern Buddha Dynasty have increased their troops by a million, showing signs of an imminent attack on the Nanyuan Domain!"

"Your old subject implores the court to increase troops and for the Eight Directions Dragon Suppressing Division to coordinate forces from all regions to suppress the various powers!"

Xuanyuan Longcheng's words were filled with a resounding, forceful Qi, and the entire Fengtian Hall seemed to conjure an image of clashing weapons and charging horses!

Concise and to the point, directly addressing the problem!

"Are there any movements from the Holy Heaven Demon Sect's minions?"

Empress Yan Yuzhu did not immediately make a decision but instead asked about the Holy Heaven Demon Sect.

The sixteen Imperial Dynasties were merely one of the Holy Heaven Demon Sect's tactics and not difficult to resolve.

The real trouble lay with those Sects, whether they were demons, ghost Cultivators, or Human Race Cultivator Sects, or even powerful Cultivators from other places, hidden in the dark, they would be impossible to guard against!

They must be eradicated to solve the problem!

"Your Majesty, the White Slaughter Army and the Black Fiend Army have sent secret reports several times. Those people are all hidden in the western and southern borders. Their strength is formidable, and the White Slaughter and Black Fiend personnel have been repeatedly annihilated, making it difficult to obtain much intelligence."

"Your old subject believes it would be better for the Three Departments to act together. Prolonging this is too disadvantageous for us!"

For the Three Departments to act together meant all their experts would be deployed. Only then could they avoid being led by the nose.

Situ Kuanglei proposed the same method Xuanyuan Longcheng had suggested earlier.

Take the initiative to attack!

Empress Yan Yuzhu fell silent upon hearing this, her mind already deep in thought.

"Take the initiative to attack? Perhaps, this is the only way to resolve it quickly?"

Considering the problems she herself was experiencing, if she delayed any longer, she didn't even know how long she could last!

Once she fell, the Great Qi Dynasty would have no hope left!

"If he were here, what would he do?"

Suddenly, Shen Tianxing's figure appeared in Empress Yan Yuzhu's mind once more... Xuanyuan Longcheng had only been back in the Imperial City for a mere five days before he departed again.

After he left, within the Imperial City, the Three Departments moved in unison!

The Qimen Division, the Demon and Monster Division, and the Martial Suppression Division all dispatched their experts. Among them, the deployment of one army, in particular, shocked the common people of the Imperial City.

The Dragon Feather Army, directly under Empress Yan Yuzhu's command, assembled a hundred thousand strong and set out!

The existence of the Dragon Feather Army was known to everyone within the Imperial Dynasty. Their numbers were not large, only a hundred thousand, but these hundred thousand were all composed of Cultivators!

The selection for the Dragon Feather Army was extremely rigorous; they were chosen from the elites of the Eight Directions Dragon Suppressing Division. The minimum strength of every Cultivator was the Zizai Realm!

A hundred thousand Zizai Realm Cultivators, what a terrifying existence that was?

This was already a true army of Cultivators. Every time this army needed to be deployed, it was certainly because the Imperial Dynasty had encountered a major crisis; otherwise, they would not be dispatched lightly.

"The Dragon Feather Army is marching out. It seems this time the border calamity is significant. Your Majesty must have personally gone to the front lines, right?"

"Alas, our Great Qi truly has a difficult destiny. Last year, we just ended the chaos of demons and ghost Cultivators, and now the border is being repeatedly provoked. Do they really think our Great Qi is easy to bully?"

"Hmph, it's a pity this old man is too old, otherwise I would definitely go to the battlefield myself to kill the enemy for Your Majesty!"

"The Dragon Feather Army is marching, and the Three Departments have also set out. If the border is unstable, how can we, the people of Great Qi, live peacefully? With Your Majesty here, our Great Qi will not perish, we will surely win!"

"Well said! Great Qi will surely win! We will wait here for the triumphant return of the imperial army!"

Some of the people of Great Qi were filled with righteous indignation, others were emotionally stirred, and some even directly rushed to join the army. Anyone with a bit of cultivation wanted to contribute to the Imperial Dynasty.

This news reached Empress Yan Yuzhu, and it also made her quite emotional.

"The emperors of Great Qi throughout history have worked diligently for the people, and now the people also know how to repay the Imperial Dynasty. This is very good."

This was the will of the people!

Empress Yan Yuzhu became even more determined that this time, all problems must be resolved!

The commotion within the Imperial City was immense, sweeping across the entire Great Qi. This news could be said to be extremely inspiring.

Within Great Qi, all prefectures responded one after another, and various armies diligently trained without ceasing, all awaiting Empress Yan Yuzhu's summons.

And besides the internal movements of the Imperial Dynasty.

The biggest movement came from the Jianghu.

Excluding the Eleven Sects of the Righteous Path, the entire Jianghu community of Great Qi was actually very numerous. All sorts of various Sects sent out experts to join this great battle.

"Although our Huatian Sect is not well-known, we understand that when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. If Great Qi perishes, can we expect foreign Imperial Dynasties to treat us kindly? If we Cultivators do not exert ourselves, who will?"

"Well said! Our Iron Sword Gate will send eight hundred sword Cultivators to contribute to Great Qi. We will surely make them tremble in fear and change their expressions at the mention of our Great Qi!"

"Our Heavenly Eagle Sect is also going. Everyone, we'll meet again at the border!"

"The entire Sect goes together, we'll meet again upon our return!"

The Sects of the Jianghu originally did not have such high cohesion, but over the years, under Empress Yan Yuzhu's leadership, even the Eleven Sects of the Righteous Path had submitted to the court's jurisdiction, and other Sects naturally did not dare to resist too much.

Fortunately, during the time of the demon chaos, some Sects participated in suppressing the demons and ghost Cultivators, and were not held accountable by the Imperial Dynasty later.

After Shen Tianxing pacified the Nanyuan Domain, under Empress Yan Yuzhu's methods, many Sects developed deep ties with Great Qi, naturally fostering a sense of belonging.

Now, hasn't the effect emerged?

Within Great Qi, public sentiment was fervent. Every day, a large number of Cultivators arrived at the border regions, eager to participate in the struggle against foreign enemies.

This made the border generals overjoyed, as ordinary soldiers were just ordinary people, flesh and blood. With the addition of these Cultivators, confronting the enemy became much easier.

There were many Cultivators from the dozen or so Imperial Dynasties, but they could not achieve the same level of cohesion as Great Qi. This difference alone was enough to provide Great Qi with significant assistance... Sunset Gorge, the entire mountain range was enveloped by an invisible Qi wave, with clouds and mist swirling, and a sudden flash of green light.

Liu Xianyun sat on a peak, quietly drinking wine and watching a person.

Xing Yao and Liu Yueying had also come out of seclusion.

During this period, they had been diligently Cultivating, and their strength had greatly improved.

Xing Yao had already reached the Fifth Level of Soul Palace Realm, and Liu Yueying had also grown in the Divine Profound Realm.

If this were in the past, Xing Yao's strength could not have increased so quickly, and Liu Yueying might not even have reached the Carefree Realm.

In this short period of over half a year, their cultivation Realms had improved too much!

Returning to the Great Qi Imperial Dynasty again, they couldn't help but feel a sense of being in a different era, where things had changed.

This was after standing at the Sea of Buried Demons and witnessing too many experts. As their own cultivation grew, their vision and state of mind also reached a high point.

Overlooking the sentient beings below.

Not far below the mountain, in a heavenly pond, Shen Tianxing was still sitting motionless, Cultivating.

The vast, boundless green light emanated from his body, like a primordial Vicious Beast, filling the surroundings with an overwhelmingly powerful Aura.

Endless Spiritual Qi was rapidly absorbed into his body, and waves of powerful Aura became increasingly formidable, continuously surging!

Boom!!!

Suddenly, a vast and immense power soared into the sky. In an instant, a crack opened in the Void Realm, and terrifying strong winds swept through. The Qi wall covering the sky above this mountain peak was directly shattered!

Bang, bang, bang!

Formation Flags flashed in the Void Realm, instantly shattering into dust!

Above the firmament, light burst forth, endless golden light descended, and brilliant rosy clouds, like a rainbow bridge, spanned the Void Realm. Golden flowers fell, divine springs surged on the ground, and in the Void Realm, a series of Dao sounds boomed.

"Golden flowers falling in profusion, divine springs gushing from the earth!"

"He... is about to enter the Golden Body Realm?"

Seeing this scene, even Liu Xianyun, who was well-traveled and knowledgeable, couldn't help but feel a shock in her heart.

A Golden Body Realm at seventeen?

Unheard of!

If people outside knew about this, they would probably be scared to death!

Even her sister, that supreme existence of Dianxing Academy, only entered the Golden Body Realm at twenty, which was already terrifying enough!

But Shen Tianxing was even more terrifying!

Boom!

In the Void Realm, ten thousand golden rays of light scattered, and endless purple Qi emerged from the golden light, enveloping Shen Tianxing completely.

All the true essence that had overflowed disappeared.

Shen Tianxing was bathed in golden light, like a Divine Being descended to the mortal world, supremely noble!

"Finally, I've reached this step!"

The Golden Body Realm, achieved!

These past few days, Shen Tianxing seemed to be in seclusion Cultivating, but in reality, he did not immediately Breakthrough his own cultivation.

Instead, he conducted a deep understanding of all the martial arts Cultivation Techniques he had learned, discarding the dross, extracting the essence, integrating them, and using them in combination.

He truly brought all his insights to another level!

A level unique to the Golden Body Realm!