68: Chapter 68 Granting fiefdoms and titles is not impossible!

Beside him, Zhang Xuan was dressed in a black Daoist robe.

One could not tell what material this robe was woven from; it was as dark as the deep night, yet embroidered all over with obscure and difficult-to-understand Heavenly Dao runes in silver thread.

These runes were layered and dense, as if they carried the deepest secrets of the world.

As he walked, the runes seemed to shimmer with a faint light, flickering on and off like stars appearing and disappearing in the night sky.

His temperament was the most tranquil.

This tranquility was different from Ming Yuefeng's aloof coldness, and a world apart from Wang Li's fervent extroversion.

He stood there, his body seemingly shrouded in an invisible barrier that kept all clamor and disturbance at bay.

He simply nodded silently at Crown Prince Xia Hong in acknowledgement, without any extra movements or expressions.

Only his eyes—deep as ancient wells, with no bottom in sight.

Those eyes seemed to have long since perceived all the Karma in the world, and yet, as if nothing in existence could weigh upon his heart.

It made it impossible for anyone to guess his thoughts or see through his depth.

He stood there quietly, like an unshakable mountain, like a bottomless, secluded pool.

Behind the three of them, the Prodigies of The Three Sects stood solemnly.

Although every one of them was the cream of the crop within their Sect, an elite tempered through fire and blood, they were silent at this moment, just standing quietly, listening quietly, and observing quietly.

Only when their eyes met occasionally could one sense an undercurrent surging—

One must know that the Starry Sky Sect, Lihuo Sect, and Heavenly Dao Hall were the three top Cultivation Holy Lands within the Great Xia Dynasty.

They had always been separate factions, engaging in open strife and veiled struggles, competing with one another, and refusing to yield.

In ordinary times, let alone the Prodigies of The Three Sects gathering in one place, even when Disciples of two Sects met by chance, it inevitably led to a clash of gazes and secret competitions.

It was rare to have such a scene where they were all gathered together.

And it was even rarer to have such a scene where they were at peace and facing each other in silence.

Crown Prince Xia Hong had suddenly summoned the strongest Prodigies of The Three Sects—this situation itself carried an extremely unusual implication, a strangeness that forced one to be vigilant.

Crown Prince Xia Hong took in everyone's reactions.

He sat upright on the main seat, his face showing no hint of surprise, as if all of this had been within his expectations.

He smiled slightly, a smile that was just right—revealing the host's warmth while maintaining the dignity of a Crown Prince.

He raised a hand to signal the palace attendants standing on both sides—

"Please, take your seats. I have invited you all here this time because there is indeed a crucial matter to discuss that concerns the rise and fall of the Dynasty, as well as the future of your respective Sects."

The attendants were well-trained.

They approached silently, holding gold-traced trays, their footsteps as light as cats, landing without a sound, as if afraid to disturb the heavy atmosphere in the hall.

On the trays, they served each person a cup of spirit tea emitting curling wisps of heat—the tea soup was clear to the bottom, with a few tender green tea leaves floating in it.

The leaves slowly unfurled in the water, as if reborn, exuding a refreshing, heart-soothing fragrance.

On the other side of the tray were placed crystalline immortal fruits.

One could not tell what species these immortal fruits were; their skins shimmered with a faint spiritual light, as if inlaid with countless tiny gems.

At a glance, one could tell they were not ordinary items, something rarely seen even within the Imperial Palace.

The clear fragrance of the spirit tea intertwined with the sweet scent of the immortal fruits, rising in spirals, slightly diluting the invisible tension in the hall.

Yet it was only a slight dilution; that tension was like a maggot attached to the bone, still lingering in everyone's heart, impossible to shake off.

Once everyone had taken their seats—

Crown Prince Xia Hong lightly tapped the jade armrest of the throne beneath him.

"Thump, thump, thump."

The sound was neither fast nor slow, the rhythm steady and clear in the silent hall, as if he were not tapping the armrest, but striking the heartstrings of everyone present.

Sound after sound, like war drums, like warning bells, causing everyone's focus to be involuntarily drawn and concentrated.

He spoke slowly.

His tone was a few degrees more solemn and heavier than before, as if every word carried the weight of a thousand jun—

"I presume you have all heard that in one month, the Hundred Dynasties War will officially commence on the Southern Region battlefield."

As his voice fell, he deliberately paused for a moment.

This pause was just right—neither too long nor too short, just enough to let the weight of that sentence press heavily upon everyone's heart.

His gaze was like a torch, slowly sweeping across the faces of every Prodigy present, like a monarch inspecting his own territory, not missing any subtle change in expression.

And what did he see—

The young people, who had been calm or casual, instantly had various lights ignited in their eyes.

In some eyes, a burning desire for a Peak duel erupted, a desire like flames almost gushing out from their eye sockets; in others, a solemn contemplation of unknown challenges appeared, a contemplation like an abyss, bottomless; and in the depths of some eyes, there was hidden calculation regarding the risks behind the Opportunity, a calculation like an undercurrent, quietly surging beneath a calm surface.

These subtle changes were all captured one by one by Crown Prince Xia Hong, fully taken in.

The Hundred Dynasties War—

That was a grand event rarely seen in the Southern Region in a century!

Held every ten years, it gathered countless Genius experts from numerous Dynasties and Sects within the Southern Region, truly a gathering of stars and a convergence of myriad currents.

It was the cruelest testing ground, and also the most dazzling ladder to the heavens.

In that great war, if one could stand out, one would not only win massive amounts of Cultivation resources and a resounding reputation across the continent, but even have the chance to trigger the opening of ancient Secret Realms, seizing Heaven-Defying Opportunities sufficient to change one's destiny.

More importantly—

The results of the Hundred Dynasties War were directly related to the distribution of Luck and the division of territories for each Dynasty.

Victory meant flourishing Luck and expanding territories; defeat meant waning Luck and territories being encroached upon.

It could be said that pulling one hair affected the whole body; one could not afford the slightest bit of neglect or negligence.

"I, this Crown Prince, have invited you all here today—"

Crown Prince Xia Hong's voice lowered a few degrees, carrying a hint of unmistakable solemnity, a solemnity like a mountain pressing down on every word—

"to ask the Prodigies of my Great Xia Dynasty to lend me a helping hand."

He paused, his gaze becoming increasingly sharp—

"Only if you can help my Great Xia secure a ranking in the Hundred Dynasties War sufficient to shock all directions, then when I, this Crown Prince, ascend the throne in the future, the Sects you belong to shall be the undisputed pillars of my Great Xia Dynasty!"

He leaned forward slightly.

The degree of this lean was extremely small, yet it made everyone feel an invisible pressure rushing toward them.

His gaze became extremely penetrating, as if he wanted to brand the weight of these words directly into the depths of everyone's Divine Soul, carving them into everyone's bone marrow—

"By then—"

"Prestige, Cultivation resources, power... all can reach an unprecedented Peak!"

"The ancient Cultivation Techniques and rare Materials sealed in the Royal treasury can be opened to those who have rendered meritorious service!"

"The Dynasty's Luck will be shared with your Sects, helping the Disciples of your Sects break through Bottlenecks as if adding wings to a tiger!"

He paused.

Each word was like a thunderclap—

"Even... to carve out territory and be ennobled as a King is not impossible!"

The four words "to carve out territory and be ennobled as a King" boomed like a thunderclap on flat ground, exploding within the magnificent palace hall!

In an instant—

The air in the hall seemed to solidify!

Even the "crackle" of the burning candles became exceptionally clear and piercing!

Even the sound of breathing became faint and intermittent, as if everyone had held their breath!

Ming Yuefeng, who had always been as indifferent as the stars, saw his eyes suddenly turn sharp!

This sharpness was like two meteors tearing through the night sky, trailing long tails of flame, staring fixedly at Crown Prince Xia Hong.

The previous aloofness and coldness were completely broken, completely shattered, with unconcealable shock churning in the depths of his eyes—that was a shock sufficient to shake his Dao Heart!

Wang Li sat up straight abruptly!

His breathing suddenly hitched, his chest seemingly gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

The faint aura of flames that he unconsciously emitted froze for an instant, as if even the flames had been so shocked by this earth-shattering promise that they forgot to burn.

His crimson hair seemed to tremble slightly due to extreme shock!

Even Zhang Xuan, who had always been as tranquil as water—

His eyes, which had been half-closed, finally opened completely!

The moment those eyes opened, mysterious runes flashed and vanished in the depths of his eyes, as fast as lightning streaking across the night sky, yet carrying a light capable of illuminating everything.

Clearly, his heart had long since been stirred into a stormy sea, and he could no longer maintain that ancient, unrippled tranquility!

The Prodigies behind them were even more unable to maintain their composure!

A slight commotion, like ripples, spread quietly through the crowd.

Some people clenched their fists violently, knuckles turning white, veins bulging; some subconsciously swallowed, their Adam's apples rolling, making a faint "gulp" sound; others had their pupils shrink and mouths slightly agape, as if wanting to say something, but were too stunned to speak.

Every face was written over with shock and disbelief.

To carve out territory and be ennobled as a King!

This was not ordinary wealth and honor, nor was it simple Cultivation resources!

This meant possessing one's own fiefdom—on the fiefdom, one could formulate laws, appoint officials, and conscript troops at will!

This was a true "state within a state," an supreme honor sufficient to allow a Sect to pass down its Legacy for ten thousand generations and keep its Foundation forever solid!

It was, furthermore, real, heaven-toppling power!

Since the Great Xia Dynasty was established three hundred years ago—

Those who were not of the Royal family but were ennobled as Kings could be counted on one's fingers.

And every one of them was a peerless hero who had rendered heaven-toppling meritorious service to the Dynasty, such as expanding territory and suppressing rebellions!

Every one of them had endured countless trials of blood and fire, having fought their way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

What Crown Prince Xia Hong offered at this moment was actually such a weighty, and yet so tempting a promise that it was almost impossible to refuse!

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Only the flickering shadows of the candlelight swayed on the walls, reflecting everyone's violently heaving chests and their ever-changing expressions—

shock, ecstasy, suspicion, wariness... intertwined, indistinguishable and inseparable.

The first to break the silence was the most impatient Wang Li.

He took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently, as if wanting to inhale all the heavy air in the hall into his lungs.

His voice carried a trace of irrepressible excitement, mixed with a bit of incredulous hoarseness—

"Your Highness... are these words true?"

These words were not a challenge.

These words were an instinctive desire to confirm the authenticity of this earth-shattering promise under the massive impact.

Like a drowning person instinctively wanting to grasp a straw, like a person in darkness instinctively wanting to touch that sliver of light.

Crown Prince Xia Hong's expression was solemn.

His gaze swept firmly across everyone, every word resonant and powerful—

"A monarch does not speak in jest."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly solemn:

"This is not just the promise of this Crown Prince alone; it also represents the will of the Emperor. One may take an oath as proof."

As his voice fell, he sighed softly, his tone carrying a bit more emotion and heaviness—

"You may not know, but while Great Xia appears strong now, it is in fact beset by internal and external troubles—"

"Within our borders, treacherous people collude with evil cults to cause chaos, disturbing the common people and shaking the Foundation of the state; on our borders, neighboring countries glare like tigers, coveting our territory and waiting for the right moment; in the Imperial court, there are also factions surging like undercurrents, coveting the position of the Crown Prince with malicious intent."

He raised his head, his gaze like a torch—

"The Great Xia of today urgently needs a resounding, satisfying victory to restore the prestige of the Dynasty and stabilize the Foundation of the state!"

"And the Hundred Dynasties War—"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an inspiring power, like war drums beating, like a horn sounding—

"is the best stage!"

His gaze swept across every Prodigy present, that gaze like flames, burning and intense—

"Your performance in the great war will not only determine the rise and fall of Great Xia's national Luck for the next hundred years, but will also directly determine what glorious heights the Sects you belong to can reach!"

"This is both your Opportunity and the hope of Great Xia!"

As his voice fell, the hall once again fell into a brief silence.

Just at this moment—

Ming Yuefeng moved.

The starlight flowing at his fingertips suddenly converged, condensing entirely into a single point of piercing cold light.

This cold light was brilliant and dazzling, as if the sharpness of the entire galaxy had been compressed within a square inch, flashing with a daunting light under the candlelight.

This light seemed capable of piercing through all falsehoods and illuminating all mists.

He raised his eyes to look at Crown Prince Xia Hong on the main seat.

This gaze was calm and waveless, yet carried a sharpness that perceived everything.

This sharpness was like a sharp blade, cutting straight to the point, pointing straight to the core—

"What Your Highness seeks, I fear, is not as simple as just a 'good ranking,' is it?"

His voice was calm, calm to the point of being nearly cold.

But beneath that calmness, there hid a power sufficient to overturn this entire hall—

The Starry Sky Sect cultivated the Dao of the Stars, most skilled at deducing heavenly secrets, most skilled at calculating pros and cons.

As early as when Crown Prince Xia Hong threw out the earth-shattering bait of "to carve out territory and be ennobled as a King," Ming Yuefeng had already smelled an unusual aura from that overly heavy promise—

Behind such a reward sufficient to shake the Foundation of a Sect, there must be hidden an astonishing expectation matching it.

It was by no means something that could be summarized by the four words "ranking at the top."

It was by no means something that could be dismissed by the three words "good ranking."

He stared straight at Crown Prince Xia Hong, not blinking or avoiding, not dodging or yielding—he wanted an answer.