Chapter 1420: Appoint You As An External Prince
"The Saintly Forest Courtyard is honored to be graced with your presence, Your Majesty," said the current leader of the Saintly Forest Courtyard, bowing.
The courtyard leader might look unremarkable, but his eyes radiated a certain radiance that made it clear that he was actually a terrifying semi-God.
The emperor waved his hand and said, "You're too polite. This emperor was merely anxious to meet the young king of Saints who had surpassed all before him. Therefore, I was forced to intrude upon your courtyard."
"You are definitely not intruding upon us with your presence, Your Majesty. Please come inside," said the leader with an inviting gesture.
Next, the emperor and the others headed toward the Saintly Forest Stele. Soon, they arrived before the bamboo forest. Xiang Shaoyun had just walked out of the forest. Everyone's gaze immediately converged on him, causing him to feel somewhat awkward.
Fortunately, he had a resilient frame of mind. He met their gazes fearlessly as his divine dao eyes shone with a boundless splendor, forcing many of the Saints to look away from him. Only a few of them could withstand the pressure of his gaze.
When the emperor and the important officials saw the remarkable young man before them, they couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, What a fine young king of Saints! At present, Xiang Shaoyun's charm had reached a level far beyond a regular person. It was as though he was the favored son of the heavens, shining ever so brightly.
"Greetings, Imperial Father (Your Majesty)!" the second prince and the many Saints greeted the emperor.
The emperor waved his hand and said, "Rise." His gaze landed on Xiang Shaoyun as he said, "This must be the lord guardian's disciple, the person ranked first on the Saintly Forest Ranking, Xiang Shaoyun."
Xiang Shaoyun cupped his fists in greeting and said, "Yes. Greetings, Dusk Emperor."
Since Xiang Shaoyun was not a member of the Dusk Dynasty, as a Saint, he did not need to drop onto his knees before the Dusk Emperor.
"Audacious! Why are you not on your knees before His Imperial Majesty?" someone stepped out and berated.
It was none other than the commander of the imperial guards, Gan Mingliang, a peak Saint Realm cultivator.
"It's fine. As someone ranked first on the Saintly Forest Ranking, the so-called etiquette can be excused," said the Dusk Emperor magnanimously. A genial look appeared on his face as he said, "I wonder if Shaoyun is interested in joining the Dusk Dynasty? I'm willing to appoint you as an external prince. In the future, you will enjoy the same treatment as this emperor's children, obtaining the qualification to rule over the world."
The offer stunned everyone present. Appointing Xiang Shaoyun as an external prince was the same as accepting Xiang Shaoyun as the emperor's adopted son. Although an external prince had no chance of inheriting the throne, he would still be a key member of the imperial clan. Even becoming a marquis of the dynasty was possible. A marquis enjoyed as much authority as the imperial teacher and the Sacred Martial General.
An emperor would speak no empty words. That saying was no joke. So long as Xiang Shaoyun agreed, his new identity would immediately be announced to the world. The various Saints were amazed by the emperor's generosity. One ought to know that this was the first time the emperor had ever met Xiang Shaoyun. A regular person wouldn't be able to make such a promise to a stranger.
The haughty first prince smiled and said, "Imperial Father is wise. I support this decision. I hereby welcome Xiang Shaoyun as the new prince of our dynasty. Us brothers should spend more time together in the future."
The second prince was surprised by the first prince's fast reaction. He hurriedly said, "Brother Xiang, what are you waiting for? Quickly thank my imperial father!"
Everyone focused on Xiang Shaoyun, curious as to what his choice would be. After all, this place was the heartland of the Dusk Dynasty. All would be fine if Xiang Shaoyun accepted the offer. But if he rejected the offer, it would be tantamount to insulting the emperor. Would he still be able to leave the Saintly Forest Courtyard alive then?
Xiang Shaoyun smiled calmly and said, "Thank you for the favor, Dusk Emperor. Unfortunately, Shaoyun's roots are in the Western Desert. For now, I do not intend to stay in the Central Region. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."
Everyone's expression changed. Who would have thought that Xiang Shaoyun would be brave enough to refuse the emperor right in his face?
"Impudent! Don't think that you can ignore the imperial decree just because you're slightly capable. I advise you to drop onto your knees and accept the decree immediately. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude," again shouted the commander of the imperial guards. At the same time, his aura locked onto Xiang Shaoyun as he said, "First, you killed a second-rank official of our court, Hua Ruren. Next, you refused the imperial guards' summon. Those two offenses are enough for you to be executed."
The commander was basically warning Xiang Shaoyun that if he remained stubborn, no mercy would be shown. The emperor remained silent, curious to see if Xiang Shaoyun would remain unyielding.
Xiang Shaoyun smiled calmly and said, "I don't know who Hua Ruren is. There were too many people chasing after me. I don't even know the names of those I had killed. If he is really one of you, I wish to ask a question. How have I, Xiang Shaoyun, offended your Dusk Dynasty? Why did one of you travel so far just to kill me?"
Xiang Shaoyun's expression was cold, and his body emitted a righteous aura, causing the commander to be completely speechless. If Xiang Shaoyun was still considered a devil, they could continue punishing him based on his identity alone. But now, everyone knew that Xiang Shaoyun was no longer considered a devil. Moreover, he was the disciple of a certain lord guardian. That identity alone granted Xiang Shaoyun a status surpassing many others.
One ought to know that the lord guardian was an old monster who had lived for an unknown number of years. His seniority was frighteningly high. As his disciple, Xiang Shaoyun naturally had incredibly high seniority as well.
"Hmph. Hua Ruren is my junior brother. Whatever the reason, killing him is the same as making us your enemy!" said Meng Youfang with a cold snort.
"In that case, I have nothing to say," said Xiang Shaoyun with a shrug. His gaze turned cold as he said, "I'm standing right here. Feel free to do what you want with me. It's not like my master cares about me."
In a seemingly unintentional manner, he brought up his master, instantly causing everyone present to feel greatly pressured. His master was an existence at the very peak of the world. If Xiang Shaoyun was to die here, the entire Dusk Dynasty would probably cease to exist as well.
After all, that person had brutally charged into the sixth layer of the Devil Domain and slain five Devil Gods to prove that Xiang Shaoyun wasn't a devil. It was obvious that the lord guardian was extremely protective of his disciple.
"How about this—if you can resist a move from the imperial teacher, this ends here," said the Dusk Emperor.
Meng Youfang was the first to voice his agreement, "I shall follow the emperor's wish."