Entering the imperial court, Xuran naturally made his way towards the highest throne in the center. The court was still filled with many guards, one of whom glared and shouted, “Who is this insolent intruder, daring to break into the grand hall!”
Xuran did not need to act himself; one of his attendants, with a mere flick of his finger, immobilized the guard mid-stride, then with another light wave, drained the life from him, causing him to fall to the ground.
Xuran approached the dais, ascending the steps one by one.
At that moment, an official behind Emperor Hao could no longer contain himself and shouted, “Celestial envoy, wait a moment!”
Xuran paused, turned, and smiled, “What is it?”
“That is the seat of the emperors of the Great Qin Empire! Celestial envoy, you are not one of our people, please wait for a moment. This old minister will fetch you a suitable seat right away!”
Xuran chuckled, without looking at the official, he addressed Emperor Hao, “Do you agree with him?”
Emperor Hao’s eyebrows twitched, and he said gravely, “Celestial envoy, please take your seat!”
“Indeed, you are reasonable,” Xuran ascended the dais and leisurely sat on the dragon throne, leaning back casually, “In such a desolate place of exile, they have managed to make it look almost like a celestial court. This chair, impressive as it is, is rather uncomfortable.”
Many of the officials were grinding their teeth in anger, but Emperor Hao only lowered his eyes slightly, showing no sign of displeasure.
Xuran said, “Ah, I almost forgot. A while ago, it seemed that a sinner was giving me instructions. For disrespecting a celestial envoy, the punishment is death! A Jian, go handle it.”
The man with the sword-like aura nodded slightly and flicked his finger. An invisible sword energy instantly circled the official who had just obstructed Xuran’s ascent to the throne, freezing his expression as his head rolled off his shoulders.
All of this happened in an instant, and even the other dukes and marshals present did not have time to react. Perhaps only Emperor Hao had the power to stop it, but he merely moved his fingers and then calmed down again.
Xuran looked at Emperor Hao and asked, “You are Ji Jia’an?”
The officials began to stir restlessly, but Emperor Hao raised his hand, silencing them, then bowed to Xuran, “That is correct.”
“It seems you are not very good at disciplining your subordinates, so let me help. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”
“The visit of a celestial envoy is a blessing for our race. How could Jia’an be dissatisfied?”
Xuran smiled faintly, “It is best if you see it that way. It was not in vain that I went through all this trouble to come here.”
His face suddenly changed, and he looked towards the entrance of the hall.
Zhang Boqian appeared at the entrance, stepping into the hall. Though he was covered in blood, his steps remained as steady as a mountain, nothing in the world could stop him from advancing.
Stepping into the hall, Zhang Boqian looked at Xuran and said in a clear voice, “Boqian has heard that the celestial envoy has arrived, and has come specifically to pay my respects! However, I am injured and unable to perform the proper greetings, please forgive me.”
Xuran looked at Zhang Boqian, a hint of surprise in his eyes, then turned to the woman behind him, exchanging a few words, and nodded, “I did not expect to find such a valiant warrior in this remote place! Yes, with such presence, he must be a descendant of General Zhang Zhiyan. Bring a seat for him!”
No one in the hall moved.
Emperor Hao signaled, and someone brought a chair, placing it next to the dais. Zhang Boqian did not decline, and simply sat down.
“An Ye, bring some of our medicine for Boqian.”
A cup of clear water appeared in the woman’s hand, floating to Zhang Boqian, “Take it.”
Without hesitation, Zhang Boqian drank it all. The medicine was incredibly mystical, and even the cup transformed into a wisp of clear energy, merging into his body.
Zhang Boqian’s eyes drooped slightly, and his face suddenly flushed red, then turned as white as snow. This cycle of red and white repeated nine times, and his joints crackled with the sound of thunder, his vital energy rising continuously.
Zhang Boqian opened his eyes, a hint of surprise in them, “Thank you, celestial envoy, for the medicine!”
Xuran clapped his hands in admiration, “To absorb the medicine so quickly, your constitution is even better than that of General Zhang! Very good, very good!”
He then looked at Emperor Hao, “You can stand there.”
Emperor Hao, still not angered, said, “As it should be.”
Xuran’s gaze swept over the crowd, “Those who are not relevant, please leave.”
Emperor Hao waved his hand, and all the guards and attendants retreated, along with some officials of lower rank.
Xuran spoke slowly, “Why I am here, and why you are here, is a long story, and I assume you do not know. Let me explain. An Ye, you tell them.”
The woman named An Ye said, “Back then, Duke Ji met with a military defeat, for which he was punished, and Generals Zhang, Zhao, and Li were also implicated. At that time, the four families, along with other minor clans, totaling ten thousand, were punished by having their wisdom taken away, and they were sent to this distant land in earth ships. After 1,700 years, the earth ships merged with this land, and your ancestors settled and multiplied here. This is the origin of the human race here.”
This secret was unknown even to Emperor Hao.
An Ye continued, “According to the laws of the Celestial Realm, if the exiled sinners can regain their wisdom and walk the path of the immortals once more, they will have the right to return to the Celestial Realm and resume their cultivation. However, regaining wisdom is not easy; it is as difficult as a wild beast suddenly gaining intelligence. Back then, Duke Xu, who was a friend of Duke Ji, remembered their past and considered that although Duke Ji had been defeated, he had also achieved many meritorious deeds. He did not want Duke Ji’s descendants to remain in ignorance, so he secretly sent his eldest son, Xu Fu, to search for them. After 110 years, he finally found this place.”
Xuran then said, “Xu Fu, the young master, is my great-uncle.”
An Ye continued, “When Duke Xu Fu arrived in Evernight, he saw the human race in distress, being used as food by barbarians, and could not bear to see it, yet he was bound by the strict laws of the Celestial Realm and could not intervene directly. So, he used his great powers to confuse the entire Evernight, and took the opportunity to restore the human race’s wisdom, and chose those with good potential to guide them. The original methods of the four clans were also returned to each clan. This was the beginning of the human race’s cultivation.”
Xuran gave a cold laugh, “You forgot to mention that my great-uncle, disregarding the prohibitions, not only taught the ways of the heavens but also improved the fate of the human race. Otherwise, how could you, descendants of sinners, repeatedly escape danger and often receive divine favor? Do you really think you are that lucky? You should know that the heavens of this world are against you.”
Emperor Hao and Zhang Boqian remained silent, listening intently.
The woman then said, “My lord, over the years, the human race here has been self-reliant, with the leaders leading by example, and countless sacrifices, thus establishing their territory. Especially for the sake of the Dawn Carriage, the Ji lineage has paid a great price, and now their bloodline is thinning.”
Xuran’s expression softened slightly, and he glanced at Emperor Hao, “If that is the case, you too have the right to sit.”
“Thank you, celestial envoy,” Emperor Hao accepted it calmly, without showing any emotion, and sat in the chair brought by the attendant.
Xuran spoke slowly, “My great-uncle, by teaching the ways of the heavens and improving your fate, paid a great price. Soon after returning to the Celestial Realm, he passed away. With his extraordinary cultivation, how could he not live to be five hundred?”
He waved his hand, signaling the woman to continue.
“After regaining wisdom, the next step is to return to the Celestial Realm. This method of return is the Dawn Carriage. Back then, Ji Xingjing severed the wings of the Serpent to use as a vehicle, and this method was accomplished.”
Emperor Hao’s heart stirred, and he clasped his hands, “May I ask how you know all this in such detail?”
“Because my ancestors came with Xu Fu, and since then, each generation has left one or two people here. In the last fifty years, it has been my turn.”
Emperor Hao bowed, “Thank you, celestial envoy, for your long-term protection!”
The woman said indifferently, “The Celestial Realm has its laws, and we cannot violate them easily. My sole purpose in staying here is to ensure that the Ji family is not exterminated by Evernight, preventing the failure of the Dawn Carriage. Now that there are still many descendants of the Ji family, it is not my responsibility. So, there is no need to thank me; I have done nothing.”
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