Chapter 1377: The Group Needs A Leader
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
One year ago, Kong Lanyou had crushed the godly statue of the empress in Ziwei Palace.
Now, the statue had been erected again, and it was giving off seven-colored godly light that permeated the entire Central Empire City.
As long as the empress was alive, and the statue remained intact, the godly power could shine upon the heaven and earth.
Saint Palace Yuanchu was closest to the godly statue, which filled the place with godly Qi, making it the best place to refine in all of Kunlun’s Field, and monks could also comprehend the way of Gods.
Huang Yanchen sat in Saint Palace Yuanchu, receiving the Saint Lady.
After reading the signal flare, Huang Yanchen was rendered speechless. After a while, she said, “Master told me that Qiu Yu is the greatest hope for Kunlun’s Field before she left, as he might become the new spiritual root. The imperial government must give him the best assistance we can.”
“That’s right,” the Saint Lady said.
Huang Yanchen said, “You’re the most intelligent woman in the world. What do you think I should do?”
The Saint Lady said, “It’s all up to you, heir.”
Huang Yanchen frowned, and she looked a bit bitter.
Huang Yanchen knew for sure that the Saint Lady was a close female confidant of Zhang Ruochen, and she was still a bit mad at her because she stabbed Zhang Ruochen’s heart with her sword.
Which was why the Saint Lady asked her to decide on such a difficult issue.
Huang Yanchen pursed her lips and sighed. “If you were me, what would you do?”
The Saint Lady shook her head without saying anything.
“Battle Heavenly King, Lingxiao Heavenly King, and Southern Region King are all very close with Qiu Yu, and they married their kids to the fire race. They have a very tight bond now. If I don’t try and stop them, they’ll definitely help Qiu Yu and the fire race suppress Zhang Ruochen. However… Should I follow the godly order of my master, or should I help him…”
Huang Yanchen seemed to be talking to herself, but she wanted to ask the Saint Lady as well.
The Saint Lady still remained quiet.
At this moment, a fiery saint shadow of a phoenix flew into the palace, forming the body of Martial Saint Canglan. She was wearing crimson saint armor, and the wings on her back looked like two fiery clouds.
“Your highness, the fire race and Moon Worship Demonic Sect sent us two signal flares, inviting you to attend the wedding in Peakless Mountain on the seventh day of next month. You’ll receive an official invitation soon.”
Martial Saint Canglan gave two signal flares to Huang Yanchen.
Huang Yanchen became stiffer after seeing the two signal flares. She said, “It isn’t my wedding, yet they pushed me to the front. Oh, Ouyang Huan… Oh, Qiu Yu… They’re trying to use me to deal with Zhang Ruochen. Perhaps many prominent beings in the imperial government also received the invitations to see how I’m going to confront Zhang Ruochen. You two also think they’re trying to put on a show, right?”
The Saint Lady and Martial Saint Canglan gave each other a look. They both shook their heads and said, “If you don’t want to go, nobody can force you.”
Huang Yanchen stood up, and a sense of ferocity emanated from her.
Saint Lady and Martial Saint Canglan were both dazed. They seemed to see Empress Chi Yao in Huang Yanchen. It had nothing to do with her cultivation, but her look.
…
Sacred City in Central Region.
Sacred City used to be the empire city of Sacred Central Empire where there were great talents and spiritual meridians. Even though the empire had already fallen, the city was still bustling, and there were traces of saint Qi surging to the sky.
In the western suburb of Sacred City was the grave of the royalty.
Zhang Ruochen went to Sacred City after leaving the headquarters of the demonic sect. He entered the grave and performed a memorial ritual for his mother.
The leader of Phoenix Dance Palace, Granny Bai Su, and most beautiful woman of Sacred City, Qin Yutong, were both standing behind Zhang Ruochen. They were also kneeling in front of the tombstone.
Granny Bai Su was a maidservant following Zhang Ruochen, and now, he was working for the twelfth brother of Emperor Ming, ‘Lord Mingjiang.’ Her cultivation was strong enough to make her the leader of Phoenix Dance Palace.
After the memorial, Granny Bai Su said, “Your highness, I need to go visit twelfth uncle. Can you make an arrangement?”
Zhang Ruochen didn’t want to meet Lord Mingjiang because it wasn’t time, but now, he had to meet his twelfth uncle.
“Sure. I’ll go notify Lord Twelve and tell him to come to Sacred City.”
Granny Bai Su and Qin Yutong left the royal grave.
Zhang Ruochen looked in the direction of the grave and said, “Come out.”
An elder walked out of the space in the next moment, took a bow to Zhang Ruochen and said, “Your highness, I’m Zhao Fu, one of the thirty-six heavenly kings from Guarding Dragon Pavilion.”
Zhao Fu followed the order of the leader of Guarding Dragon Pavilion to guard the royal grave of Sacred Central Empire. Zhang Ruochen and Kong Lanyou had seen him here before.
Zhang Ruochen said, “I want to visit the leader of Guarding Dragon Pavilion.”
Zhao Fu said, “There’re more than one leader of Guarding Dragon Pavilion. All the thirty-six heavenly kings are human monks, and they follow the orders of Heavenly Pavilion Leader. The seventy-two earth demons are savage beasts, plants, and mutants, and they follow the order of Earth Pavilion Leader and the two empire totems.”
“Which leader can you get in contact with?” Zhang Ruochen asked.
Zhao Fu said, “Only Heavenly Pavilion Leader.”
Zhang Ruochen gave an order. “Tell him to meet me in Sacred City in three days.”
“Sure. I’ll go tell him now.”
Zhao Fu bowed at Zhang Ruochen again and vanished. He was so fast that even Zhang Ruochen couldn’t even see how he left.
“That guy’s cultivation is superior to the saint leader of Mu family, yet he’s guarding the grave here. Guarding Dragon Pavilion…if you hadn’t left Sacred City before, perhaps Sacred Central Empire would have been able to survive longer. What kind of orders did my father give you?”
Zhang Ruochen mumbled, shook his head and smiled sarcastically.
Zhang Ruochen entered Phoenix Dance palace after leaving the royal grave.
Qin Yutong knew who Zhang Ruochen was, so she immediately received him to the inner mansion and treated him like the most important guest.
“Granny went to see Lord Twelve. She should come back soon,” Qin Yutong said.
She used to talk to Zhang Ruochen like a friend, but now, she had to serve Zhang Ruochen like a maid. After all, Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation was already a great pressure on her, not to mention he was the crown prince of the empire.
Zhang Ruochen sat beside the desk with his legs crossed. He then took out a signal flare, mobilizing his mind power and saint Qi to write on it.
Qin Yutong stood beside him like a flower in the hollow.
Zhang Ruochen raised his head and shot a glance and him. “Do you know how to give a haircut?”
Qing Yutong looked at Zhang Ruochen’s messy hair and beard and said, “I can definitely try if you need it, your highness.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Thank you.”
Qing Yutong’s hands were beautiful. She had long and smooth fingers, and she started to shave Zhang Ruochen’s hair.
Zhang Ruochen said, “There’re no real bonds in the royal family. Siblings will turn against each other for power and benefits. Do you think my twelfth uncle will hand the empire to me after running it for eight hundred years?”
Qin Yutong’s hands started to shake, and her face turned pale.
“No need to be anxious. That was just a random question.” Zhang Ruochen smiled.
Actually, Zhang Ruochen had investigated the civil war in Sacred Central Empire eight hundred years ago after Emperor Ming had gone missing.
Aside from Kong Shangling, Zhang Ruochen’s royal uncles and royal aunts all joined the power grab, which threw the entire Sacred City into chaos.
And because of that, a once-giant empire fell within decades.
The root cause of that was Emperor Ming going missing and the crown prince being killed, leaving the empire with no leader.
Qin Yutong suddenly kneeled in front of Zhang Ruochen and said with her head down, “Your highness, Granny asked me to try to convince you to leave if you came to Phoenix Dance palace.”
Zhang Ruochen understood where she was coming from. He said, “You guys owe Twelfth Uncle a favor, and he’s also your new master. I can tell that you’re still loyal to Sacred Central Empire, as you told me that.”
Qin Yutong said, “Are you still staying here?”
“Why would I leave? I came here to see my twelfth royal uncle. I’m confident that I can make him submit to me, and that I can make sure that we have a leader soon.”
Zhang Ruochen looked calm and infused the signal flare with a trace of saint Qi.
Whoosh!
Characters emerged on the signal flare, and they were gleaming.
Qin Yutong shot a glance at the signal flare and yelled, “Death Zen!”
“That’s right. Death Zen Elder owes me a favor. Now, it’s time for me to cash it in.”
Zhang Ruochen waved his sleeves, then the signal flare flew out like a trace of light.
Zhang Ruochen stroked his chin and looked in the mirror, making sure that his beard was well-shaved. He said to Qin Yutong, “Go get a pen and some silk brocades.”
Qin Yutong said, “May I ask what you’re going to use them for?”
“I’ll write a decree. A ‘Crown Prince Decree.’”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes gleamed, and he said, “The empire needs a leader. It’s time for the old members of Sacred Central Empire to come back now. I’ll go worship God and the dead on the seventh day of next month, holding Kaiyuan Deer Cauldron.”