368: Entering the palace to see the emperor, the three eastern states

Outside the Imperial Palace.

Chu Jiang went to the palace to meet the Emperor alone.

Since an imperial decree suddenly arrived yesterday, over a dozen factions didn't sleep a wink last night.

Especially the strategists of the Three Kings, who were vying for the throne, they were sleepless all night.

They closely watched his every move; rather than watching Chu Jiang, they were watching the Chu Emperor.

The Chu Emperor was on his deathbed, and every action he took might hold deep meaning.

At the main entrance of the Imperial Palace.

An Old Eunuch was already waiting there. Seeing Chu Jiang approach the palace, he quickly scurried over and respectfully said, “Lord Shao Si, please follow me. Your Majesty is already waiting for you in the Golden Luan Hall!”

“Lead the way!”

Chu Jiang said indifferently, following the Old Eunuch step by step into the Imperial Palace.

As far as the eye could see, golden glazed tiles shimmered under the sunlight. On the towering city walls, Dragon patterns and auspicious clouds were carved, lifelike and vibrant. Every brick and tile exuded solemnity.

Entering the palace gate, a wide white jade avenue led directly to the inner court. On both sides were ancient pine and cypress trees, all over a thousand years old, which had witnessed countless hardships and seen off many a Prodigy. Occasionally, a gentle breeze would blow through, and the sound of the pines intertwined with the distant ancient bells, like celestial music.

“This old Emperor truly knows how to enjoy himself. No wonder countless people throughout history have wanted to be Emperor!”

Chu Jiang sighed softly in his heart. The best living environment, plus three palaces and six courtyards, three thousand beauties—any woman he desired, with no two days the same.

Of course, the most crucial thing was that supreme power, enough to drive countless people to madness and obsession.

When an Emperor rages, a million corpses fall.

It was not an exaggeration.

Even if rebellion had only a one in ten thousand chance, it was worth taking a gamble to transform a bicycle into a motorcycle. Whether successful or not, it would leave a mark in the annals of history.

Within the Imperial Palace, security was tight, but the Imperial Guards allowed them to pass through without obstruction.

After half an incense stick's time.

At the end of the avenue was a magnificent hall, resplendent with gold and jade. The ceiling was inlaid with luminous pearls, emitting a soft glow even in daylight.

Chu Jiang looked up slightly.

It seemed there was a blurry Luck Golden Dragon circling above the Golden Luan Hall. Even with his True King's Eye, he found it difficult to discern the true state of the Luck Golden Dragon.

Outside the Golden Luan Hall, the Old Eunuch bowed and announced, “Your Majesty, Yun Province Pacification Envoy, Deputy Commander of the Demon Suppression Division, Chu Jiang, requests an audience!”

“Announce him!”

A sharp, aged voice came from within the Golden Luan Hall.

“Lord Shao Si, please enter!”

The Old Eunuch bowed, signaling Chu Jiang to enter.

Boom!

Chu Jiang did not hesitate and stepped into the Golden Luan Hall.

Inside the grand hall, golden pillars and jade steps led to a high throne, intricately carved with nine Dragons playing with a pearl, as if alive.

On the Dragon chair sat an old man in a Dragon robe, none other than the Chu Emperor. Beside him stood an Old Eunuch, who was Old Eunuch Lü Fangzhong, the one who had delivered the imperial decree yesterday.

An invisible pressure, like a roaring mountain and surging sea, swept over, full of dominance, as if to crush and suppress everything.

“What powerful pressure!”

Chu Jiang secretly sighed. Was this the Rongtian? He could clearly sense that if the other party wished, the mere pressure would be enough to suffocate him.

This was the Chu Emperor in a dying state. If he were at his Peak, he estimated that the pressure alone could crush any Heaven and Earth Realm practitioner.

Unlike Qi Dachun and Zu Cang, the Chu Emperor had completely integrated with heaven and earth, his strength unfathomable.

He even felt that the Chu Emperor's strength was far more than that.

However, the Chu Emperor's state seemed somewhat strange. He couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong.

The pressure lasted only three breaths before completely dissipating.

“This old fellow is testing my strength…”

A moment later.

Chu Jiang remained composed. He then stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Yun Province Pacification Envoy Chu Jiang greets Your Majesty!”

On the Dragon chair.

The Chu Emperor looked at Chu Jiang, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. A Heaven and Earth Realm expert who could withstand a fraction of his pressure without showing fear was already a rare powerhouse in the world.

In a thousand years, he had sought countless blades, but never before had one grown to this extent in such a short time.

It had never happened.

He did not participate in the struggle of the Three Kings, only accepting benefits without siding with any party. This showed some qualities of a hero.

Previous blades, once their wings hardened, either secretly participated in the struggle for the throne, or were too timid to strike down those he wished to eliminate, or fell by the wayside.

His blade could only be a solitary minister, fearless, daring to offend anyone.

Slaying gods, slaying Buddhas.

Obeying only him.

Currently, this blade seemed a bit too sharp, growing too fast, and frighteningly so, with a risk of backlash.

However, the Chu Emperor was not worried that this blade would get out of control. As long as he was alive, whether it was Chu Jiang or anyone else, they could only be his subjects.

As the Great Chu's first Prodigy in three thousand years, a peerless Emperor, he still possessed this confidence.

As long as Chu Jiang continued to obey him, he wouldn't mind allowing him to advance further, to reach the Peak of power in Great Chu.

“Chu Jiang, the outside world is spreading rumors that you are my illegitimate son. What do you think?”

The Chu Emperor's voice echoed within the Golden Luan Hall.

Is this old man testing me?

Whether he harbored disloyal intentions, whether he was involved in the Three Kings' struggle.

Even a fool would know that such rumors were false, and he naturally wouldn't be naive enough to think the Chu Emperor believed them to be true.

The Chu Emperor wanted to use this as an excuse to make him declare his stance.

“Your subject is utterly loyal to Your Majesty and has never harbored any disloyalty. Even if it means climbing a mountain of swords or descending into a sea of fire, your subject will not flinch,” Chu Jiang said sharply. “No matter who it is, as long as Your Majesty gives the word, I guarantee they will not see the sun of the next day!”

All the Chu Emperor wanted was an attitude, and he would give it to him. He would continue to be his blade, increasing his power and status, and gaining resources for advancement.

Once he advanced to Rongtian, or even the Heavenly Mandate, and his strength surpassed the Chu Emperor's, then they could compare notes. Sorry, but he didn't eat beef.

Old Eunuch Lü Fangzhong's old face twitched slightly. As expected of the blade His Majesty valued, he was arrogant enough.

The Chu Emperor's expression remained unchanged; he had received the attitude he sought.

Everyone was intelligent.

Chu Jiang clearly knew what the Chu Emperor wanted, and the Chu Emperor also knew what Chu Jiang wanted. The adult world was all about interests.

Chu Jiang wanted power and resources.

The Chu Emperor wanted to use Chu Jiang to do things, to kill those who were inconvenient to kill, and to attract the hatred of those aristocratic families.

Both understood each other tacitly.

“I know of my beloved subject's loyalty. Now, there is indeed a rather tricky matter that requires my beloved subject to handle!”

He saw.

The Chu Emperor waved his hand.

The Chief Eunuch, Old Eunuch Lü Fangzhong, held up a golden scroll and presented it to Chu Jiang.

Whoosh!

The scroll opened.

It contained information about the Three Prefectures in the east, near the Sun Moon Country: Yue Province, Lan Prefecture, and Wu Prefecture…

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