599: Weird red hair, arrived at Guixu

King Yan, seated on the Dragon Throne, had an icy expression, his anger already soaring. He gripped the Dragon's head tightly; having just ascended, he issued two imperial decrees, and almost everyone rebelled.

“Yang Aiqing is weary and weak; take him to rest.” King Yan suppressed his rage, but in the end, he did not explode.

Endure, he would endure this last time.

Yang Jisheng, as a veteran of three dynasties, naturally could not be treated too harshly.

The next moment.

Yang Jisheng was escorted away by the guards, his forehead covered in blood. His aged body shouted repeatedly, “Your Majesty, establishing a National Preceptor subverts imperial power. Please reconsider, reconsider… ”

The great hall.

Was utterly silent.

Faintly, Yang Jisheng’s aged voice could still be heard from outside the hall, repeating the words “reconsider” over and over, gradually fading into the distance.

But Yang Jisheng’s departure only made everyone more dissatisfied.

This was just a veiled way of telling people to shut up.

“Your Majesty, although Scholar Yang’s words were presumptuous, the principle is as he stated. We implore Your Majesty to reconsider and withdraw the decree.”

“Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”

“Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”

“…”

More than half of the officials present stepped forward, one after another. Sun Wu, Minister of War, Han Fei, Former Right Chancellor, Yan Zheng, and even Xu Yuan, the Minister of Works, who had always been neutral, came forward to offer advice.

A group of military officials also came forward.

“How dare you! Are you trying to jointly pressure His Majesty?”

“Do you still have imperial power in your eyes? Do you still acknowledge this Your Majesty? Once an imperial decree is issued, how can it be withdrawn?”

Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet Grand Secretary Liang Long roared. These people were clearly intent on making trouble for the New Emperor, and by extension, for him.

“Are you trying to challenge Us?”

King Yan’s patience was completely exhausted, and a hint of killing intent flashed in his eyes.

“Your Majesty…”

An official was about to speak.

“Silence! We are the will of Heaven! Anyone who dares to utter another word will be immediately dismissed and exiled to the frontier. We establish a National Preceptor with the public good in mind; there is no need for further discussion. Court dismissed!”

King Yan slammed the Dragon Throne, venting the anger in his heart. Without waiting for the officials to speak further, he vanished from Jing Tian Hall.

This was not King Yan’s true self; his true self was still in Golden Luan Hall, using the power of Luck to elevate his Realm.

Everyone sighed.

Looking around, they could only leave Jing Tian Hall.

“Great Chu is likely to be ruined by this incompetent ruler.”

“He’s hundreds of times worse than his imperial father.”

“Where is the aura of an emperor? To achieve his personal goals, he disregards the safety of the nation.”

After leaving the palace, the officials discussed among themselves on the road.

On the way.

“Prime Minister Han, you don’t seem surprised. Did you anticipate this?” Sun Wu, Minister of War asked.

“No, I’m just a Vice Minister of Revenue now. You should change how you address me.”

Han Fei, Former Right Chancellor said with a bitter smile.

“Hmph, in my heart, you are the true Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. That Grand Secretary Liang Long fellow is nothing but a bird, a piece of trash.”

Sun Wu, Minister of War said disdainfully.

“The New Emperor is a person with extremely strong control, who tolerates no dissent. Even his trusted advisors are controlled by Gu worms.”

“He will not allow Chu Jiang to independently wield the power of Supervisor. He will certainly divide power to create a balance.”

“Unfortunately, Chu Jiang is no ordinary person. When he returns to the imperial capital, there will surely be a storm of blood.”

Han Fei, Former Right Chancellor slowly said. He vaguely felt that this newly emerged National Preceptor would not be a simple character.

Since the New Emperor dared to use him to counterbalance the Supervisor, his strength would not be weaker than Chu Jiang's, perhaps even stronger.

He was just worried that the New Emperor might lose control of the situation.

And that Great Chu would change its course, which would be a complete mess.

… …

Inside Golden Luan Hall.

King Yan sat on the five-clawed Dragon Throne, and the majestic power of Luck from all around was being poured into his body.

The Martial Emperor Scripture was circulating, and Imperial Dragon Qi was forming.

“The power of Luck is truly wondrous, allowing one’s Realm to soar in a short period. The current me should be the foremost person in Great Chu, apart from the three imperial Old Ancestors, the Second Old Ancestor, and the Grand Old Ancestor.”

“With the Martial Emperor Scripture, Azure Wood Emperor Skill, and the aid of the Luck Golden Dragon, I can fight Heavenly Mandate. Given time, perhaps even the Grand Old Ancestor, Yin and Yang Old Ancestor, will not be my match.”

King Yan said in a deep voice.

He was well aware of the implications of the advice given by those old officials, but he was confident he could suppress them.

He would not allow anyone to question his will.

He would prove with facts that he was the right one.

He would wait for Wu and Chu Jiang to fight each other to a draw.

Then he would step in and suppress everything.

Reputation, prestige, and the New Emperor’s aura—he would have it all.

But upon closer inspection, the power of Luck on King Yan’s body was not golden; more than half of it was black. Above Golden Luan Hall, what gathered was a Luck Black Dragon.

Initially, he was somewhat worried about what this black Qi was.

But he later discovered that this black Qi actually boosted his strength even more rapidly than pure power of Luck, so he stopped caring about it.

King Yan closed his eyes and continued to Cultivate.

At this moment.

Within King Yan’s body, in an imperceptible place, there was a Small World, where a soul resided. A rotting Dragon corpse was entwined around a bronze coffin, growing bizarre red hair. Yellow Springs ice crystals seeped from the coffin’s cracks. When the soul body unfolded, the heavens and earth inverted into eighteen layers of blood-rusted purgatory, releasing a crimson moon tide. Wherever it shone, flesh and blood mutated into writhing, fleshy mushroom mountains.

… …

Northern Eighteen Provinces, Liang Province.

Prince Qi’s residence.

Since King Yan’s ascension, Prince Qi had returned to the Northern Eighteen Provinces.

The north was Prince Qi’s base of operations; at least ten provinces were within his sphere of influence, so it remained peaceful here.

“Prince Qi, news from the palace says that the New Emperor wants to establish a National Preceptor to counterbalance the Supervisor. The court is in an uproar, just as Your Highness predicted.”

“The New Emperor’s action subverts the foundation of the nation. Is Your Highness not going to dissuade him?”

“Or are you planning to ‘cleanse the emperor’s side’?”

Jiang Lao said.

He did not doubt that Prince Qi absolutely had the backing for this. As long as the people behind Prince Qi supported him, it would not be a problem.

As for Great Chu’s imperial Old Ancestors, they would not interfere in the struggle for imperial power. As long as the empire’s banner remained unchanged, anyone could ascend the throne.

It was the same principle as when Chu Emperor passed away that day; King Yan’s forces took over the imperial palace, and no one obstructed them.

“Cleanse the emperor’s side? You overestimate this King.”

“Besides, Imperial Father instructed me on his deathbed not to hinder him from pursuing his great ambitions. Let him be.”

Prince Qi said indifferently.

“Alas…”

Jiang Lao was silenced. If the New Emperor was allowed to act recklessly like this, great chaos would surely ensue.

“Imperial Father, where exactly are you? I don’t believe you’re truly dead.”

Prince Qi pondered, but the dissipation of the Luck Golden Dragon signified the fall of an emperor, making it impossible for there to be any deception.

He couldn't see through it.

Prince Qi shook his head and continued to cast his fishing rod, enjoying himself.

… …

Demon Holy Land, Heavenly Demon Palace.

“King Yan’s ascension, everything is going according to plan.”

“The people of Heavenly Destiny Observation truly have some tricks up their sleeves.”

Several Heavenly Venerables conversed with each other.

“How much longer until the Demon King’s vanguard army arrives in this world?”

Nine-Headed Dragon Lord said indifferently.

“The main force of the Demon King may still need several months, but the vanguard army will arrive in less than a month.”

Heavenly Corpse Demon King responded in a deep voice.

“Very good.”

Nine-Headed Dragon Lord said with satisfaction.

That kid Chu Jiang had disappeared, probably off to seek some Opportunity to Breakthrough his Realm again. They couldn’t give him any more time to develop.

Last time, due to bad Luck, if Yuan Shouyi hadn’t blocked the door, Chu Jiang would have died.

This time, no one would be able to help.

… …

North Sea.

A figure was traversing the North Sea. With each step, starlight bloomed beneath his feet, the stars shifted, and distances shrunk to inches. It was as if the entire North Sea was constantly folding and reassembling beneath him; a thousand miles was but an instant.

It was Chu Jiang, who had emerged from the Nether Abyss.

Upon leaving the Nether Abyss, his first action was to open the black mirror to check for the latest news.

Several people had sent him messages, the most explosive of which was the passing of Chu Emperor, which truly surprised him.

Shouldn’t such an old schemer be the one to survive until the very end?

To fall so easily.

As time passed.

Chu Jiang arrived at the Bei Hai Gui Xu Forbidden Ground, located in the deep sea, thousands of feet down.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Two figures broke through the air, flying out from the Forbidden Ground. They were Marquis Zhentian and Taixu Zhenjun, the guardian of the North Sea.