Deep night, Kunning Palace.

Today was the Empress’s night to attend to the bedchamber. After a lingering entanglement, they both finally fell into a deep sleep.

And Zheng Yi took this opportunity to transfer a stream of Pure Yang Qi into Lu Lin’er’s body.

In ten months, it would be the day of the prince’s birth.

And this prince would be the Crown Prince of Great Yu.

Yes, a lifelong Crown Prince.

Just at this moment, Zheng Yi’s expression suddenly shifted, and a peculiar look crossed his face.

He gently touched the forehead of the sleeping Lu Lin’er, then rose and left Kunning Palace, assisted by the personal palace maids.

The accompanying eunuchs and palace maids led the way, and they made their way to Baiyu City.

“All of you, leave.”

“Yes!”

The eunuchs and maids retreated, leaving Zheng Yi alone to ascend to the third level of Baiyu City.

Standing alone on the spacious third-floor plaza, Zheng Yi stood in solitude. In the distance, the moonlight was bright, and his robes fluttered, resembling an immortal.

“Elder, you have been following Us for so long, do you still not intend to reveal yourself?”

“Hehehehe…”

A hoarse laugh sounded: “Rumor has it that the current Emperor of Great Yu is both talented and wise, loving the people like his own children, and is the ruler who revived Great Yu.”

“What I didn’t expect was that even your martial arts cultivation was so flourishing that you could detect the presence of this old man.”

In the moonlight, an old man in a black robe suddenly appeared, as if he had always been there.

Zheng Yi said, “An Innate Realm martial artist?”

“Indeed!”

The old man said, “You are the first to know after I’ve advanced to the Innate Realm.”

“Furthermore, you have quite the courage, daring to meet with me alone, and even dismissing the other accompanying guards.”

“Boy, your actions are quite to my taste!”

Zheng Yi said calmly, “Newly advanced to the Innate Realm, you should be the one who broke through at Dongling Mountain three months ago.”

“Oh? You knew?”

The old man furrowed his brow and said coldly, “You’ve been investigating me?”

“The Great Yu World is my world. Even an Innate Powerhouse is one of my subjects; how could I not investigate?”

Zheng Yi said, “According to the information gathered by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Martial Arts Department, and in comparison with the dozens of Grandmaster Realm martial artists in the Martial World over the past decades.”

“You should be Xie Jiuque, known as ‘Ghost Blade’ of Beimang Mountain. Am I right?”

The old man, or rather, Xie Jiuque, furrowed his brow and took a deep breath, saying, “You really have been investigating me…”

“Emperor Zhengyong, do you truly think this Imperial Palace is an unassailable forbidden land, barred from others in the Martial World?”

“As for me, I can come and go as I please!”

“Do you not fear that by ignoring the boundaries between the Imperial Court and the Martial World and managing the martial artists with the hand of the court, you will incur the hatred of the Martial World people and provoke assassination attempts?”

Zheng Yi said, “The Martial World of Great Yu? I only want the Capital City; why would it involve the entire Martial World?”

“Hehehe… Silver-tongued!”

Xie Jiuque said, “I have carefully scrutinized your actions as well.”

“When you strike, it’s earth-shattering, and you consider all facets, seeing the big picture from the small details.”

“The Ban Martial Order now seems only to operate within the Capital City, but sooner or later, it will affect the entire Great Yu.”

“I advise you to abandon this thought!”

“Elder Xie’s purpose in coming today is solely for this matter?”

Zheng Yi asked, “Is there nothing else?”

Xie Jiuque frowned and said, “Why do you ask? I act openly and justly, to seek justice for our fellow Martial World brethren!”

“Justice?”

Zheng Yi suddenly said, “Isn’t it for reputation?”

“Let me guess, you’ve had conflicts with the Five Mountains Sword Sect, Zhao Suling of Taiyii Dao, the Celestial Destiny Sect, Tianlong Temple, and even Yuanhe Mountain, Vajra Temple, Compassion Temple, and other sects like the Tuoba Clan of Yunmeng Marsh. All for the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch.”

“Today you stand up for the martial artists of the Capital City; do you still wish to contend for the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch?”

“You…”

“Xie Jiuque, how about I help you ascend to the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch?”

“You…?”

Xie Jiuque was stunned: “What exactly are you thinking?”

“Simple, I want a true martial artist to help me lead the Martial World.”

Zheng Yi said calmly, “Your cultivation is sufficient, but your reputation is too poor. A decade ago, your cultivation technique was too violent, requiring killings as a guide, leading the Righteous Dao of the Martial World to deem you an evil heretic, and you were hunted ever since.”

“Now that you’ve stepped into the Innate Realm, you want to accomplish something big, using it as a turning point to make amends with the Southern Righteous Martial World leaders. Am I right?”

“Help me, and as long as you join the Imperial Court, I can secretly position you in the Martial Arts Department, mobilizing martial arts masters to rally behind you and help you step up as the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch… How about it?”

Xie Jiuque’s pupils suddenly shrank, his breath becoming slightly erratic.

The position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch, he had always wanted to ascend to.

Unfortunately, he was born into poverty and lacked the guidance of a famous teacher.

In his youth, he found a swordsmanship secret manual in a mountain ravine on Beimang Mountain and eagerly began to cultivate.

Unexpectedly, this nameless swordsmanship was extremely compatible with his talent and foundation, and within a short time, he mastered it, entering the Martial Artist Realm.

From then on, he ventured alone, challenging numerous sects, voraciously learning the techniques of different sects and incorporating them into his swordsmanship.

Due to the fierce swordsmanship, domineering actions, and increasingly strange sword techniques, he earned the moniker ‘Ghost Blade.’

Three months ago, as the world changed tremendously and Primordial Qi pulsed powerfully.

He suddenly attained enlightenment at Dongling Mountain, stepping into the Innate Realm overnight.

Innate Realm!

In the whole of Great Yu, Innate Realm powerhouses are scarcely more than a handful.

With this power, he could aspire to the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch position.

Originally, he intended to accomplish some grand feats and then compete for the leadership.

Unexpectedly, before his first major feat, the instigator saw through his intention.

He straightened his demeanor, gritting his teeth and said, “Why should I trust that you could help me ascend to the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch position? Why…”

“Why?”

Zheng Yi stepped forward, his aura gradually elevating: “Because I am the Emperor!”

“The Lord of Great Yu!”

“The Lord of the World!”

“You… Innate Realm!”

Xie Jiuque exclaimed: “Impossible! This aura… Innate Realm? How could you be an Innate Realm martial artist?”

“Why not?”

Zheng Yi smirked coldly: “As the world changed greatly, only my Capital City changed.”

“I am Destiny!”

With Zheng Yi’s statement, an indescribable aura descended from the heavens, pinning Xie Jiuque solidly beneath.

At this moment, Xie Jiuque felt as though he was facing not the ordinary emperor of the Mortal Royal Court but a Divine King descending upon the mortal world.

Even behind him, several majestic and colossal figures appeared.

In a trance, it looked almost like a Divine Dragon!

“This kind of imposing aura… impossible!”

Xie Jiuque roared furiously, his figure suddenly shooting towards Zheng Yi like a phantom.

Reaching out, a scimitar shaped like a crescent moon appeared in his hand, slashing fiercely at Zheng Yi.

The moonlight was chilling, and the blade erupted with light.

“Come on!”

Zheng Yi also let out a furious shout. It had been many years since he had engaged in a life-and-death struggle with real weapons.

Since he finally had this opportunity, there was no way he would let it go.

Forming his right hand into a blade, he started late but arrived first, stepping forward with one hand to meet Xie Jiuque’s Ghost Blade.

“What?!”

Xie Jiuque exclaimed in shock. Although easily angered, he was not stupid.

Coming to the Imperial Palace today was just to teach the current Emperor a lesson, definitely not daring to kill him.

In that critical moment, he had to change the direction of his scimitar, slashing to the side.

“Clang!”

A crisp sound of metal clashing echoed, and Zheng Yi’s hand blade struck the side of Xie Jiuque’s scimitar, slamming it into the ground, creating a huge gash.

Yet Zheng Yi’s single hand was still emanating a chilling blood evil aura.

“What are you doing? Are you really seeking death?”

Xie Jiuque roared furiously, killing intent emanating from him.

Zheng Yi said, “Ghost Blade Xie Jiuque, don’t hold back. I really want to test your weight.”

“Seeking death!”

Xie Jiuque roared furiously, his Ghost Blade suddenly emitting a shrill howl, slicing fiercely towards Zheng Yi’s neck.

Zheng Yi also swiftly retreated, reaching out to grab the Brocade Spring Saber hanging on the distant weapon rack, swiftly drawing it into his hand.

“Clang!”

The two blades clashed, the pitch-black phantom and the blood-red evil aura colliding violently, producing a sharp wailing sound.

“Hundred Battle Blood Slaughter Saber!”

Xie Jiuque exclaimed in shock, “How is this possible!”

“How are you, like Xu Mujun, advancing to the Innate Realm with a battlefield slaughter saber?!”

“The Hundred Battle Blood Slaughter Saber requires killing to advance, just how many have you killed?”

“Don’t be distracted!”

Zheng Yi shouted violently, his left hand suddenly retracted, swiftly forming a hand seal upon his chest, blooming like a lotus, striking fiercely at Xie Jiuque.

“Bang!”

Xie Jiuque’s form retreated rapidly, his chest slightly sunken, clothes shredded, a lotus-shaped wound appearing on his chest, his face even more surprised.

“White Lotus Flower Picking Technique! This is a White Lotus Sect cultivation technique, how can you possibly know it!”

“Could it be the White Lotus Sect has also allied with the Imperial Court?”

Zheng Yi, having gained the upper hand, did not let up, stepping forward again.

“How does cultivating many techniques matter if you bite off more than you can chew!”

Xie Jiuque roared furiously, his scimitar once again transforming into a crescent moon, rotating and slashing towards Zheng Yi.

Attacking where there is aid, forcing him to retreat.

Only this way could the might of his swordsmanship be unleashed.

“Wooo~!”

A series of ghastly wails suddenly emanated from Xie Jiuque, the air around him turning eerie, as if engulfed in a ghostly mist.

Yet faced with this scene, Zheng Yi’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze turning fervent, anger rising to illusion, resembling an ancient Evil Ghost.

A scarlet light flashed in his pupils, the Brocade Spring Saber in his hand moving with unforeseen speed, emanating a blood intent.

Almost simultaneously, his aura transformed, an endless sinister aura surging out, momentarily forming the shape of an Evil Ghost Yaksha behind him.

Xie Jiuque’s face turned even grimmer, his Ghost Blade rapidly striking against Zheng Yi’s Brocade Spring Saber, the aura between the two also clashing fiercely at this moment.

“Impossible!”

“Celestial Demon Saber! Celestial Demon Technique!”

“How can you even know the Celestial Demon Technique of Baihua Sect!”

Xie Jiuque could scarcely believe his eyes.

The Emperor of Great Yu, claiming he knew Xu Mujun’s Hundred Battle Blood Slaughter Saber, he believed. Saying he knew Taiyii Dao’s Eternal Spring Skill, he believed.

Even if you said he mastered the cultivation techniques of Vajra Temple, or even Tianlong Temple, he believed.

But the White Lotus Flower Picking Technique and Celestial Demon Saber, those were Demonic Path cultivation techniques, how could he possibly know them!

Moreover…

The current His Majesty is not yet thirty, how could he know so many cultivation techniques?

And he even fused the strengths of a hundred schools to step into the Innate Realm?!

Zheng Yi advanced again, abandoning his saber to draw a sword, pressing Xie Jiuque once more.

The swordsmanship was exquisite, like exploding stars, forcing Xie Jiuque to continuously retreat.

“Taiyii Dao, Seven-star Swordsmanship!”

“Heartless Chaotic Sword? Compassion Temple’s ‘Compassion Forgetful Skill’, how can it be possible!”

“Eagle Claw Skill?”

“Nanyue Gu Poison Finger?”

“How many cultivation techniques do you truly know!”

Xie Jiuque felt his worldview collapsing; how could one person cultivate so many techniques?

And… with such mastery, ascending to the Innate Realm?!

“Puh!”

Finally, Xie Jiuque, deeply shaken in spirit, was inadvertently struck by Zheng Yi’s finger on the chest, pressing down with one hand, sending him flying over ten meters, slamming into the wall of Baiyu City.

“Puh!”

Blood spurted out, yet at this moment, his gaze remained in disbelief.

“Impossible… how could you fuse the doctrines of a hundred schools to ascend to the Innate Realm in such a short time!”

Zheng Yi walked over slowly, speaking indifferently: “In this world, there is nothing that is impossible.”

“For example, you’re in the Innate Realm and might imagine from now on, you can roam freely throughout the world.”

“Supreme above heaven and earth?”

“But how would you have thought, that in this world, those who can ascend to the Innate Realm are not limited to you alone.”

Unbeknownst to when, three figures suddenly appeared before Xie Jiuque.

All four of these figures were eunuchs.

And the aura they emanate… Innate!

Another Innate! Three Innate in succession!

Especially the elderly eunuch at the forefront, his aura deeper than an abyss, easily able to crush him.

“How, how is it possible… Innate!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep