69novels Page 5
Page 5
His face was ashen, which frightened the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs so much that they all knelt down, their faces pale and their bodies trembling, not daring to make a sound, for fear of becoming the target of his wrath.
"How could the Imperial Advisor be ranked only eighteenth?!"
He was breathing heavily, his gaze fixed on the corner.
Unexpectedly, even the Sunflower Ancestor remained silent this time, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
Although he hadn't truly fought Huang Shang at full strength, he was intimately familiar with his opponent's abilities. Even if he didn't make it into the top ten, securing a place in the top thirteen should be a certainty.
But now, he's only one place above him, ranking eighteenth?
He was speechless, finding it utterly absurd.
"Ancestor? Ancestor?"
Seeing that the other party remained silent for a long time, Zhao Ji called out anxiously.
"There is definitely something fishy about this."
"But the extraordinary phenomenon of the Heavenly Ranking is beyond human control."
"In my opinion, we should wait and see how things develop, and then discuss the truth of the matter once the rankings are revealed."
After a moment's hesitation, the Sunflower Ancestor suppressed his doubts and chose to temporarily accept the Golden List.
Of course, what he didn't say was—even if the list is wrong, what can they do?
There is nothing else to do but get angry in vain.
Perhaps it's a meeting of minds.
Zhao Ji nodded slightly, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and calmed his mind.
"Damn it, this world is absolutely terrible!"
Wei Xiaobao spat, secretly alarmed.
He was initially glad to have become a disciple of Chen Jinnan, thinking he had found a powerful backer.
But after seeing the Heavenly Path Golden List, I understood—
I am ultimately a frog in a well.
In such a vast Qing Dynasty, let alone immortals on land, they had never even heard of such a rumor.
Ao Bai, who was hailed as the number one expert in Manchuria, was only at the Grandmaster level.
Thinking of this, the boy suddenly remembered—
The subtle look that flashed in the eyes of the young emperor when he stared at the "Sunflower Manual" the other day.
A chill suddenly ran down my spine.
He secretly swore:
I'd rather lose my head than take this job!
Just as I was pondering this, I suddenly heard fawning laughter behind me:
"Lord Wei seems lost in thought; could it be that you're contemplating some young lady?"
Wei Xiaobao's shoulders trembled.
No need to turn around, just listen to that slick tone and you'll know—
It must be that Duolong who's in cahoots with me!
Between the electric light and flint.
The boy's lips suddenly curled into a strange smile.
"You've come at the perfect time, sir." He slowly turned around. "Have you acquired several jars of thirty-year-old vintage wine recently..."
Just as Duolong was about to exchange pleasantries, he suddenly met those fox-like eyes.
He immediately retreated three steps.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
"Suddenly, I remembered I had some official documents..." He fled in panic before he could finish speaking.
Temujin withdrew his gaze from the sky.
"The weak Song Dynasty actually harbored two terrestrial immortals." He chuckled, stroking his riding whip. "And that Great Qin, which possesses the nine provinces..."
The courtiers inside the palace were silent as if trembling with fear.
The Khan disregarded this and turned to give the order:
"Reveal the National Preceptor."
The other party hurriedly agreed and then quickly left.
A figure slowly stepped into the hall.
The newcomer was none other than the Grand Preceptor of the Yuan Dynasty, Bashiba!
"Grand Preceptor, how many top-tier experts are there among the various states of the Central Plains?"
Upon meeting Bashiba, Temujin didn't mince words and directly asked the question that had been bothering him.
As an ambitious emperor, he was constantly plotting to unify the world and conquer the nine provinces.
However, the appearance of the Heavenly Path Golden List gave him a fright!
The fact that the states of the Central Plains possessed such profound cultural heritage is truly astonishing!
"But one thing is certain: there are many beings in the Central Plains whose strength is comparable to mine!"
Ba Shiba shook his head slightly and gave a brief response.
He paused, then seemed to remember something and quickly added:
"By the way, if Your Majesty intends to march into the Central Plains, please remember—there is a forbidden being dressed in black robes!"
"If you encounter them, do not engage in conflict!!"
As he finished speaking, a hint of fear flashed in Bashiba's eyes, and his voice trembled slightly.
Temujin noticed his unusual behavior and couldn't help but become suspicious.
He knew Ba Shiba's strength all too well. Even in the entire Kyushu, he was a top-tier expert.
How could such a person be so afraid of that man in black robes?
This is truly baffling!
However, no matter how much he pressed, Bashiba remained silent and refused to say another word.
Left with no other choice, Temujin had to give up.
"Emperor Song was truly extremely lucky."
"How wonderful it would be if I could also have terrestrial immortals willingly offering themselves to me."
Zhu Houzhao gazed towards Wudang Mountain, his tone tinged with bitterness, his eyes filled with envy.
He even fantasized that if he had the chance, he would rush up Wudang Mountain, point to Huang Shang's deeds on the Heavenly Dao Golden List, and give Zhang Sanfeng a good scolding—
Look at them, how self-aware they are!
Unfortunately, such a scene can only be imagined in the end.
Let alone immortals on land, even masters of the peerless realm are not easily attained.
Faced with the supreme imperial power, the emperor and his minister were having a secret conversation.
"Your Majesty need not worry. When it is Master Zhang's birthday, you will personally visit him to extend an invitation. With such sincerity, I believe he will not refuse."
"If we can get Zhang Zhenren's help at that time, we can use his prestige to regain power in the court."
"Then we can realize our ambitions and achieve our grand goals!"
In the shadow of the corner of the palace.
An old eunuch with a sallow complexion spoke softly, his breath so faint it seemed he might vanish at any moment.
He started coughing violently before he could finish speaking.
Zhu Houzhao hurriedly stepped forward:
"Is Minister Wei alright?"
"Ahem... Your Majesty, please rest assured, this old minister can still hold on for the time being..."
Wei Jinzhong forced a cough and waved his hand in acknowledgment, but his pale face betrayed his condition.
The young emperor frowned, finally asking the question that had been buried in his mind for a long time:
"Minister Wei, please tell me frankly, where did this injury come from?"
Upon hearing this, the old eunuch trembled.
Even the coughing stopped abruptly.
His expression shifted between light and dark for a long time.
In the end, it all turned into a long sigh:
"This was caused by an attack twenty years ago. The black-robed expert's palm strike severely injured my internal organs, and a strange internal energy has also taken hold within my body."
"To suppress this true energy, this old minister had to expend most of his internal energy."
"That is precisely why we are powerless to deal with that traitor Zhu Wushi on behalf of His Majesty."
"If we force our way in..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Houzhao raised his hand to stop him.
"I understand."
"I only want to know, who exactly is the one who injured you?"
"Once I take control of the Ming Dynasty, I will surely seek justice for you!"
A cold glint flashed in the young emperor's eyes.
They blamed all their current predicament on that mysterious person.
If this person hadn't severely injured Wei Jinzhong...
Why should I be afraid of a mere vassal king?
How did I end up in such a predicament?
To everyone's surprise, Wei Jinzhong's expression changed drastically upon hearing this:
"Your Majesty, please be careful with your words!"
"The past is like smoke, and hatred has faded. I only wish that Your Majesty will firmly grasp the Ming Dynasty and govern the country diligently. Even if I were to die, I would have no regrets!"
Zhu Houzhao's expression suddenly froze, a hint of displeasure flashing between his brows.
"What do you mean by that, my dear minister? How could I possibly treat a meritorious official poorly!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I do not doubt Your Majesty's will, but..."
A bitter smile appeared on Wei Jinzhong's lips, and his words abruptly stopped.
"But what?" Zhu Houzhao pressed.
"Does Your Majesty know of that minister who defeated you in just a few moves?"
Before the emperor could respond, Wei Jinzhong trembled as he raised a finger.
"No, more precisely—a fleeting moment."
"I did not see him make a move, nor did I notice him leave. In the blink of an eye, I was already seriously injured and on the verge of death."
"The most terrifying thing is that the man... hadn't even used his full strength yet."
"I'm afraid he hasn't even used one-tenth of his cultivation!"
009 - Top 17 on the Battle Power Ranking! (Where are the flowers and rewards?)
Zhu Houzhao's pupils suddenly contracted.