Chapter 928: Hundred-Day Duel Marks the Time of Yi Ming

For Er Niu, official positions held little importance; he only cared that they were adequate.

Though he himself was a Sword Holder, since neither King Zhenyan nor the Human Emperor had brought it up, he didn't give it much thought. What mattered most to him was his inner sense of grandeur. After all, he knew that despite having some connection to the human race, he wasn't truly considered one of them. He wasn't even certain of his own race.

"Ah, the many troubles of past lives," Er Niu mused. With a proud heart, he instinctively looked back at Xu Qing.

At that moment, Xu Qing's gaze also fell upon his Senior Disciple Brother. Seeing this, Er Niu was overjoyed, and the thought of the Great Tiangang Armor further exhilarated him.

Meanwhile, Taizai paused briefly after announcing Er Niu's rewards, allowing everyone to absorb the information, before resuming his address: "The human race is fortunate; a new dawn has broken, deterring foreign races from all directions. Later, the Feng Hai Prefecture conquered the Sacred Ripple and Black Spirit domains, expanding our territory."

As these words were spoken, the gazes of the officials in the grand hall wavered. While the previous imperial edict declaring Xu Qing a king was anticipated, most of them sensed something profound in the subsequent words. Such an opening naturally carried a weighty significance. Thus, conjectures began to arise in their minds.

"Following this conflict, the Black Sky Domain has presented a letter of surrender, and the Fire Moon faction has likewise withdrawn and will not trespass. Soon, envoys will arrive to discuss the millennium accord in detail, and an alliance will be formed with the Blood Moon Domain. Our human race, having endured countless ages, with ancestors across generations harboring grand ambitions, finally sees the dawn today!

Today, the human race's territory is no longer merely one domain and seven prefectures, but rather four domains and seven prefectures! The Imperial Capital Domain, the Sacred Ripple Domain, the Black Spirit Domain, and the Black Sky Domain!

This calls for offerings to our ancestors, reverence for our heroes, and proclamation to the human race of the eternal heavens! By Imperial Decree, Emperor Xuanzhan proclaims.

In the 2939th year of this dynasty, the human race, after an 800-year hiatus from ancestor worship, will reopen the Ancient Emperor Star and transport it to the Altar of Heaven in 100 days, when the Big Dipper points to Yi (乙). The Human Emperor, bearing the destiny of the race, shall once again perform the ancestor sacrifice!"

As Taizai's voice resounded, a thunderous roar instantly echoed in the hearts of all the officials in the grand hall. For the human race, the ancestor sacrifice was an exceptionally significant ceremony, arguably paramount among all rituals. It could only be performed upon the demise of a previous emperor and the ascension of a new one, or when the human race achieved monumental success.

After all, each opening of the Ancient Emperor Star demanded colossal resources. Even during the reigns of previous Human Emperors, when the human race was relatively strong, every ancestor sacrifice drew the attention of various races across Wanggu. Though the human race's power wasn't what it once was, the will to rise had emerged. This ancestor sacrifice would likely still draw the focused attention of many foreign races in Wanggu. Such a momentous occasion naturally sent a jolt through the hearts of those present in the hall.

Nevertheless, as stated in the imperial edict, the human race had indeed achieved unprecedented accomplishments, making the ancestor sacrifice a logical next step. Xu Qing's mind also stirred, a faint, almost imperceptible light flickering within his eyes. His official purpose in coming to the Imperial Capital Domain was to report on his duties, but he also had a private matter to attend to! That was to retrieve the Purple Profound Sky Lantern for Zixuan! Even his support for Ning Yan was tied to this, for that lamp resided within the Ancient Emperor Star. The Ancient Emperor Star, serving as the human race's ultimate foundation, was protected by formidable external formations, implying an even more astonishing interior. Thus, it was not easily opened, only during the ancestor sacrifice. A slight ripple passed through Xu Qing's mind at this thought.

Concurrently, Taizai's voice resonated once more. "For this ancestor sacrifice, the First Prince Yan Yue has rendered meritorious service, the Fourth Prince Blood War has achieved great feats, and the Fifth Prince has defended the border. These three princes are exceptionally talented and virtuous, selfless and dedicated to public duty; thus, they are granted the honor of participation in the ancestor sacrifice!"

After finishing, Taizai turned and bowed deeply to the Human Emperor. The Human Emperor nodded, remaining silent. Following court protocol, Taizai waited for nine breaths before straightening up, then turned his profound gaze to the officials in the hall and spoke in a low voice.

"With this audience concluded, do any of you have further matters to present? If not, the court is hereby adjourned."

The officials bowed their heads. Only Xu Qing stepped forward, bowing respectfully to the Human Emperor.

"Xu Qing has a matter to present."

The moment Xu Qing spoke, all eyes converged on him. Even the Human Emperor's gaze, profound as the ocean, settled on Xu Qing, as did those of the Heavenly Marquises and Heavenly Kings. Even King Zhenyan focused intently. Indeed, given Xu Qing's current standing, anything he brought forth would undoubtedly be of great importance.

Taizai's expression turned solemn as he spoke in a deep voice. "King Zhencang, what matter do you present?"

Xu Qing pondered, refraining from speaking directly. Instead, he retrieved a jade slip and inscribed within it the appearances of the three Sacred Land cultivators he had encountered in Liaoxuan Prefecture, along with their actions. Apart from the details concerning Liaoxuan Liquid, everything else was accurate. Upon completing this, Xu Qing raised his hand, sending the jade slip flying towards Taizai.

Taizai received it and swept his divine sense across it. The next instant, his eyes widened abruptly, his expression changing dramatically as he stared at Xu Qing. "Heavenly King Xu, this matter..."

"It is absolutely true," Xu Qing stated in a deep voice.

Taizai's reaction and Xu Qing's response left those around them in bewildered surprise. Only Er Niu, who had evidently deduced the contents of the jade slip, merely smiled and returned to envisioning the magnificence of his Great Tiangang Armor. Meanwhile, Taizai took a deep breath. His usual composure wouldn't have been so shaken, but the information Xu Qing had imparted was truly astounding, concerning individuals from the Sacred Land. Without hesitation, Taizai presented the jade slip to the Human Emperor.

The Human Emperor's divine sense swept over it; his expression remained impassive, though a profound nuance entered his eyes. He then waved his hand, bestowing the jade slip upon King Zhenyan. After King Zhenyan read it, his expression turned grim, and he passed the jade slip to the other Heavenly Kings.

A while later, amidst the various speculations of the officials in the grand hall, all the Heavenly Kings had finished reading the jade slip. Each of their expressions was grave, and they refrained from passing the jade slip to the Heavenly Marquises. The Human Emperor's voice then resounded.

"This matter need not be spread externally. It is sufficient for the Heavenly Kings to be aware."

Despite their numerous questions, the officials in the hall could only bow their heads, though an unspoken gloom began to settle in their hearts. Outside, the sky too darkened in that instant. With a clap of thunder, heavy rain poured from the clouds, drenching the world.

Amidst the rippling sound of the downpour, Xu Qing no longer focused on the Sacred Land matter. To him, such affairs naturally required the attention of those in higher positions. He was merely a Void Return Realm cultivator; the Sacred Land was far too grand for him to concern himself with. In his view, there was a matter of greater importance than the Sacred Land at present. Thus, he spoke once more.

"This journey of Xu Qing's to Fire Moon originated entirely with Ning Yan. Although Prince Ning Yan's contributions may not be widely known, both his virtue and talent, and his dedication to public service are exemplary. Since His Majesty has appointed Xu Qing as the Imperial Tutor to the Prince, Xu Qing recommends Ning Yan to be granted the honor of participating in the ancestor sacrifice. May His Majesty grant his approval." Xu Qing bowed deeply.

His words were not disingenuous, as everyone naturally knew the relationship between Xu Qing and Ning Yan. After a moment, the Human Emperor's voice resonated.

"Granted!"

The instant the pronouncement was made, the Human Emperor's figure blurred and vanished. The court assembly thus concluded.

As everyone departed the grand hall, most officials wore smiles, cupping their fists and offering congratulations to Xu Qing and Er Niu. For a time, a continuous chorus of voices filled the air, each person appearing genuinely amiable. In truth, while not all were truly so, overall, goodwill undeniably predominated. This was dictated by their standing and human nature. Once an individual reaches a certain eminence, the perspectives encountered around them will largely be benevolent, because the cost of conflict becomes too great. Unless driven by even greater self-interest, no... the world itself is benevolent.

"This is human nature," Er Niu explained. "Even though we're of the same race, it's because we're currently in the human race's spotlight that everyone is so full of goodwill."

Having received the Upper Spirit Manor token delivered by the Imperial Palace guards, Xu Qing and Er Niu bade farewell to the officials and departed the Imperial Palace, walking the streets towards the Upper Spirit Manor under oil-paper umbrellas. Rain transformed into fine threads, dripping from the umbrella eaves, and the world itself blurred in the downpour. Few pedestrians were on the street. The celebratory welcome for the heroes had faded with the rain, and Er Niu's leisurely words echoed, sounding as if he had profound insights into life.

"So, little Ah Qing," Er Niu continued, "we must keep striving; we cannot afford to fall. I imagine you wouldn't wish to witness human nature in such a state."

Er Niu patted Xu Qing's shoulder. Xu Qing's expression remained as composed as ever.

"I've seen it before," Xu Qing replied.

The Captain chuckled. "I forgot. Your childhood experiences meant you've witnessed too much evil in the world."

And so, they continued their journey, listening to the rain, observing the populace, and relishing the rare tranquility after their return from Fire Moon. An hour later, the Upper Spirit Manor, bestowed by the Human Emperor, appeared before their eyes.

Throughout the Imperial Capital, there were a total of 108 Upper Spirit Manors. Currently, most of these were vacant and sealed. This was because only Heavenly Kings were qualified to possess such manors. Each Upper Spirit Manor held astonishing value, built as it was atop the core of the human race's protective grand formation, thereby concentrating spiritual energy far more intensely than in other areas. Moreover, both the construction materials and interior furnishings reflected the pinnacle of human craftsmanship, and the formations embedded within were equally remarkable.

Furthermore, each Upper Spirit Manor possessed unique features. Xu Qing's, for instance, contained a spiritual pool. This spiritual pool offered considerable aid to both the physical body and cultivation; moreover, prolonged immersion could nourish the soul. It was precisely for this reason that this particular Upper Spirit Manor ranked among the top ten of the 108. The Human Emperor's bestowal of this manor was a clear indication of his high regard for Xu Qing.

Before the manor, Er Niu bid farewell. "I won't be coming in," he said. "I'm going to look for the old man, to see if he's in the Imperial Capital Domain. After all, regarding the remnant flesh... as a master, he can't possibly keep it all to himself!"

The Captain had never brought this up on their journey back, but his mentioning it now revealed that it had been on his mind all along. With that, and under Xu Qing's watchful gaze, Er Niu departed, his head held high and chest puffed out.

Watching his Senior Disciple Brother's retreating figure, Xu Qing suddenly recalled something. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke. "Senior Disciple Brother, wait a moment."

Er Niu's figure paused, and he turned, looking surprised. Xu Qing strove to keep his tone calm, his face devoid of any excessive expression as he spoke.

"Hairpins, do you have any more?"