Chapter 844 - 346: The Cost of Being Emperor

Words : 1158 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

As soon as he spoke, Emperor Jianyuan’s facial muscles slightly twitched. The few others in the hall felt a sense of relief. If Li Changsheng was willing to let go, it meant there was no need for a fight to the death today; there was room for negotiation. "Good!" Emperor Jianyuan, without bargaining, decisively agreed: "As the Sect Master’s wish, from today onwards, Zong Qianliu shall be relieved of his position as Chief of the Direct Palace Supervisor and dispatched to the frontier, under General of Northern Peace’s command. In consideration of our former sovereign-official relationship, I bestow the former Taizong’s equipped weapon, the ’Super Light Sword’, hoping that Zong Daban will serve sincerely in the Northern Territory and achieve distinguished merit soon." Zong Qianliu couldn’t help but tremble slightly in spirit. The ’Super Light Sword’ was a weapon of Taizong, its tier already close to half-step super-grade. This sword is usually kept in the imperial ancestral temple and is only bestowed by Emperor Jianyuan when the court faces a strong enemy or when a great demon head needs to be eliminated. Zong Qianliu’s face turned red, with tears in his eyes, he knelt and bowed again: "I will not disappoint Your Majesty. In ten years at most or five years at the least, I will certainly return to stand before Your Majesty." Li Changsheng was indifferent to Emperor Jianyuan’s maneuver to win over his subjects. Any First Grade Martial Cultivator of the Human Clan is extremely precious. Currently, there are only over seventy First Grade individuals on the Heavenly List. Even adding those who remain hidden, along with those from various great sects and families who have retreated from Jianghu, they do not exceed one hundred and twenty people. There are slightly more with First Grade combat power, like Qingxuzi, whose cultivation is above Second Grade but whose strength can already reach the lower end of the Heavenly List. Most of these people reside in the Northern, either on the front line resisting the Giant Spirit or going to the Central Earth to pursue their Martial Arts. There are actually not many left in the Divine Continent, only thirty to fifty people. Besides, they have found various ways to control some First Grade individuals from alien races. But this amount of power is too weak compared to the Giant Spirit’s Four Great Divine Mountains. The current Divine Continent cannot even resist a single ’Buzhou Mountain’. If it weren’t for internal constraints within the Giant Spirit, a single Night Wolf Tribe could contend with them, and a single ’Buzhou Mountain’ could conquer the Divine Continent. Li Changsheng didn’t care whether Zong Qianliu remained loyal to the imperial family, as long as he could eliminate three First Grade Giant Spirits, it would greatly relieve the pressure on the Formless Divine Sect. This was a one-for-three trade, still quite cost-effective. "Then how does the court explain the use of the Black Cloud Impermanence Army to attack and kill our Formless Divine Sect’s Holy Transmission?" Li Changsheng smiled coldly, "Would this also be a case of someone acting on their own? Abusing their power for personal gain?" He glanced back at the crowd behind him. At this moment, besides the figures from the Inner Court led by Chief Steward Zhen Tianlai, all the other heavyweights of the court above Second Grade were also gathered here. This included the Vice Minister of Criminal Justice and the Family Head of the West Capital Chu Family, Chu Rulai. Being watched by Li Changsheng, Chu Rulai’s pupils slightly contracted. This matter was not something Zong Qianliu could bear alone. Zong Qianliu had already taken responsibility for refusing to meet Li Changsheng, so he could not take the blame for this case as well. Li Changsheng first nailed Zong Qianliu to the wall. The purpose was to challenge Chu Rulai. Then he indifferently walked out of the crowd: "Sect Master, I, Chu, know a little about this matter. It should be related to an old case in East State, where, a year ago, the Magistrate of Xiushui County, Sikong Chan, collaborated with local scholars to rebel and was annihilated after being investigated by the Governor of East State. However, Six Gates’ Vermilion Bird Hall questioned the case, believing Sikong Chan was framed and that it involved your sect’s Holy Transmission disciple, Chu Xisheng. This person was forced to rebel by Sikong Chan, during which he committed numerous bloody cases, killing dozens of Vermilion Bird Hall arrest officers. Therefore, the Vermilion Bird Hall has been persistently investigating the true nature of this case." This matter had little to do with him, so Chu Rulai’s expression was calm: "Recently, I have already submitted all the files of Xiushui County’s treason case to the Ministry of Justice to close the case. However, the Vermilion Bird Marquis did not want to let it go, believing that the key lay with Chu Xisheng. Given the insufficient manpower and strength of the Vermilion Bird Hall, they privately contacted the Direct Palace Supervisor and requested experts from the Direct Palace Supervisor to capture Chu Xisheng for interrogation." This was their prepared pretext to respond to the Formless Divine Sect’s accountability afterward. The Direct Palace Supervisor even obtained the document requesting assistance from the Vermilion Bird Hall. The Vermilion Bird Marquis was also present in Harmony Hall at that time. Around thirty years old, with handsome features and a delicate demeanor. Upon hearing this, he instantly gaped, glaring at Chu Rulai, "Chu Rulai, you—" Then he remembered the document he personally delivered, and his face turned slightly pale. At that time, Chu Rulai advised him. The Vermilion Bird Marquis knew this action would deeply offend the Formless Divine Sect but wasn’t very concerned. Six Gates has never been afraid of these great sects, especially now that the Formless Divine Sect, with the Su Fengdao forced into retirement, is even less of a threat. However, today, with Li Changsheng storming the palace, obliterating the entire Daning Inner Court with overwhelming force, the document he personally signed has become the source of great calamity for the Vermilion Bird Hall. "Is this true?!!" Li Changsheng withdrew his gaze and glanced at the impassive Emperor Jianyuan on the throne, then looked towards the master of Six Gates in the crowd, the current ’Beichen God Marquis’, Beichen Shuji. "Then I ask, Beichen God Marquis, do your Six Gates have solid evidence or official court documents to capture our Formless Divine Sect’s disciple?" Beichen Shuji furrowed his brows and then smiled bitterly, "No." Chu Rulai bowed deeply with a gesture: "A few months ago, the Ministry of Criminal Justice had, at the request of the Vermilion Bird Marquis, re-examined the rebellion case of Sikong Chan, with all evidence and testimonies complete. The Ministry of Justice also concluded the case with no doubts." Originally there was some, but since the Wood Sword Immortal proved the way, there is none left.

Chapter 844 - 346: The Cost of Being Emperor

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