Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After a few months, the news of the battle with the Dali Dynasty had spread throughout Emperor Xia’s Realm.
But no one was able to find out anything else, just that Emperor Li’s Realm had made concessions on all of the issues that had caused friction between them and Emperor Xia’s Realm. They had no other choice, as they no longer had any way to defend against Emperor Xia’s Realm.
Emperor Li did not make any earth-shattering moves. After all, they had suffered grievous losses, but the base of their power was still there. The Royal Family and all their children were still alive. The only thing he could possibly do was break the rules and attack Emperor Xia’s people. And if he did that, he would pay for it with his life.
Obviously, Emperor Li was not that desperate yet.
Ye Futian was recovering, and Qin Xuangang was shut up for a period of time as well. After all, he had once destroyed his own powers, and his flesh had not yet completely reformed. He naturally needed to cleanse his will and recover to where he had once been.
One day, everyone went to pay their respects to Emperor Xia.
Although the people who had made names for themselves at the battle with the Dali Dynasty were Ye Futian and Qin Xuangang—the former Imperial Advisor—they knew that the one they should be thanking was Emperor Xia. In addition, Ye Futian owed the Peacock Emperor his gratitude as well.
Ye Futian and the others reached Emperor Xia’s Palace and bowed slightly to the Emperor. “Your Majesty.”
Emperor Xia and Queen XIao were sitting there. Emperor Xia looked at Ye Futian and Qin Xuangang and said, “I trust you are recovering well?”
“The worst part is already over,” said Ye Futian with a smile. “No need to trouble yourself over it, Your Majesty.”
“I must thank you for my life as well, Emperor Xia, and the lives of the people of my household,” said Qin Xuangang.
Emperor Xia had come personally to save the people of the Imperial Advisor’s Residence twice.
“You should thank Ye Futian. If it were not for him, I would not have acted, ” said Emperor Xia with a smile. “But although you should not feel like you owe me anything, you should still consider coming to serve my realm. What do you think?”
He had said that the Imperial Advisor did not owe him anything. He hoped that he would serve the realm of his own free will, not because he was returning a favor.
Qin Xuangang naturally understood this, and he said, “Your Majesty, perhaps the Crimson Dragon Realm would be more suitable for me.”
“Mm.” Emperor Xia nodded. “Very well. If Emperor Li does anything reckless in the future, you and Ye Futian will be the first people that I turn to. Moreover, Qinyuan is there as well. With you there taking care of her, I do not need to worry about her.”
His precious daughter would probably not remain in Emperor Xia’s Realm.
He had seen Qin Xuangang’s power on that day. He had been able to block Emperor Li’s will. He knew that he had already come close to the marvelous gate to the Renhuang plane, and even before, few were a match for him on the Nirvana level. Now, his level was truly at its limit.
Even in a place like Crimson Dragon Realm, there would be few people at the Nirvana level who would be able to threaten him.
He was much stronger than the people that he had secretly sent to guard Xia Qingyuan. After all, Emperor Xia’s Realm could not part with such powerful figures.
“I will do my best,” said Qin Xuangang.
“Ye Futian, the people of the Nine Great Tribes are not needed here. You may take them all with you,” said Emperor Xia to Ye Futian. These were people that Ye Futian had conquered in the Crimson Dragon Realm, and he had sent them here to help Emperor Xia’s Realm guard against the Dali Dynasty.
Now that the Dali Dynasty could no longer threaten Emperor Xia’s Realm, he was letting Ye Futian take them back.
Ye Futian nodded. “Very well.”
He knew that this time when he returned to Qianye City, they would replace the Ancient Imperial City and become the foremost city in Crimson Dragon Realm. There was no doubt about it.
This was something that he could not have imagined before he had come here.
“There is someone else who would like to see you, Ye Futian,” said Emperor Xia. Ye Futian was curious as to who it was.
Emperor Xia looked out of the hall and called, “Lu You, bring him in.”
Very soon, Lu You brought a man into the hall. He was wearing a black robe, and his aura was very weak. He had obviously been grievously wounded. Moreover, his face was dark, as if he had been poisoned.
Ye Futian stared at him. He seemed to be lost in thought.
“This is the one who poisoned your friend. His powers have been destroyed. How would you like to deal with him? Emperor Xia asked Ye Futian.
“Let him live or die of his own accord,” said Ye Futian. In reality, who already knew who had been behind the whole thing.
Now, Emperor Xia seemed to want to settle the whole affair.
“Father,” came a voice. Xia Kun walked inside the hall, then knelt to the floor, saying, “I have made a mistake.”
Xia Qingyuan was watching everything calmly. This would all finally be settled.
“What do you think, Ye Futian?” Emperor Xia asked Ye Futian. His opinion was obvious.
They did not need to say too much about the things that had happened. They remembered them well enough.
“His Highness has admitted his mistake, and Ling’er and the others are in good health. You should be lenient, Your Majesty,” said Ye Futian. In reality, this went against what he had originally wanted. If it were up to him, Xia Kun would be destroyed.
However, he had to consider everything that Emperor Xia had done for him, as well as Xia Qingyuan.
Today, he and the Imperial Advisor had come to thank Emperor Xia. To turn around and punish the Prince would show that they were not grateful.
Of course, the reason he could say this was because, in the end, everyone was still alive and well, and because the Imperial Advisor was standing there by his side.
Otherwise, he would not be nearly so calm.
“His crimes were not just against you,” said Emperor Xia. “Xia Kun, from now on, you are stripped of your status as a Prince. It will be better for you to prove yourself in the outside world rather than conspiring behind the scenes.”
Xia Kun went pale, but he still bowed and said, “Yes, Father.”
On saying this, he turned and left, not looking at Ye Futian or the others.
He knew that starting from today, he would no longer have his status as a Prince of Emperor Xia’s Realm. He was just a Saint-level cultivator. He would no longer have cultivation resources. From now one, he would have to rely on only himself.
Ye Futian turned and watched Xia Kun leave. There was nothing wrong with Emperor Xia’s justice. Xia Kun had once tried to help Xiao Sheng kill him, and he was indeed not the only one who had been affected by this.
“Xia Rong had nothing to do with this affair, but how should we deal with him for the things he did in the Crimson Dragon Realm and all of their consequences?” Emperor Xia asked Ye Futian and Qin Xuangang.
Qin Xuangang had been the one to suffer from his actions.
Qin Xuangang bowed. “Your Majesty, the Prince had his reasons for making the choices that he did, so we cannot speak of right and wrong. I am able to stand here today because of Your Majesty’s grace. I do not wish to pursue this matter, and neither does Futian.”
Ye Futian nodded as well. “Mm.” Since his teacher had said this, what else was there for him to say?
“Your Majesty, Xia Rong has always wanted to prove himself in battle. Do not blame him too much,” pleaded Queen Xiao. After all, Xia Rong was the eldest son of Emperor Xia’s beloved one.
After Emperor Xia became a Renhuang, he could only take a queen.
Later, Emperor Xia had doted upon Xia Qingyuan, and the people of Emperor Xia’s Realm had all theorized that she would be his heir. This was probably quite troubling for Xia Rong.
Emperor Xia nodded. “Fine, then I will deal with him myself.” He did not announce to the crowd how he would do so. He sighed inwardly.
Xia Rong was not seeing things clearly. His eyes must be opened wider.
What use was plotting against the Imperial Adviser and winning battles against the Dali Dynasty? Emperor Li was still there, and so the Dali Dynasty was still the same.
Those who could truly decide everything were those who stood at the peak of their power.
Xia Rong would probably never have a chance to reach that point. But in the future, Ye Futian was destined to take over Emperor Xia’s Realm and the Dali Dynasty.
Thus, this whole affair was mostly meaningless.
“Very well, these matters have all been taken care of. You may all set yourselves at ease and depart.” Emperor Xia suddenly smiled. Ye Futian would naturally not stay in Emperor Xia’s Realm for long. He knew that many people of the realm were discussing whether or not he would be their new ruler in the future.
But he knew that Ye Futian did not belong to Emperor Xia’s Realm. If he truly took charge of the realm in the future, he could only bring it to even higher levels.
But this all rested on the assumption that Ye Futian would survive.
If he died, then all of this would come to nothing.
And Ye Futian’s family background was not simple at all. His future would undoubtedly bring great disturbance to the world.
Thus, he would not live a pampered lifestyle. He was more suited to struggling and training in life or death situations, cultivating his state of mind, his will, and his authoritativeness.
Ye Futian was very smart, and his will was extremely firm. But what was holding his back was that he often cared too much.
For example, during the bet at the Royal Palace of Dali. If he could have been more ruthless, he would not have lost to Emperor Li.
This was his weak point, but it was also an advantage. Because this was the way he was, many people flocked to his side.
Otherwise, how could the people who had once been of the Imperial Advisor’s Residence have appeared by his side?
If he had not been the way he was, the Imperial Advisor of the Dali Dynasty would still be the Imperial Advisor.
Ye Futian nodded. For now, things in Emperor Xia’s Realm were settled, and there was nothing more to worry about.
He already had a good base in the Crimson Dragon Realm. He had already cultivated in the Regional Palace, and Chi Shang knew him. He was very famous there as well. It would not be long before he had a chance to leave.
“When are you preparing to leave?” asked Emperor Xia.
“In a few days. I’m sure that you hate to part with the Princess, and my friends and I would like to go and see the Holy Zhi Palace. We will leave when we return,” said Ye Futian.
“Ah.” Emperor Xia thought for a moment. “When the time comes, I will have some powerful people bring their descendants to the Crimson Dragon Realm. You won’t need to worry about them. The wider world will have a better stage for them, and let them advance even higher. They will be responsible for their own cultivation.”
Ye Futian nodded. “I understand.” In reality, he had never worried about those people. They had seen to their training, and he had never been sure if they were in Qianye City or not.
What Emperor Xia had said was exactly correct. Cultivation was his business, and he would help people as much as possible.
“Very well, you may leave,” said Emperor Xia with a wave of his hand. Ye Futian and the others bowed and left with Qin Xuangang.
As they exited the hall, Ye Futian let out a sigh and smiled.
“Teacher, brothers, I never thought we’d have a chance,” said Ye Futian with a smile. He had thought that he and the others were on different sides, and their relationship as masters and students would only last for a certain period.
“Are you satisfied?” asked Teacher Nan Zhai with a smile.
“No, I envy you all. You have all been lucky to have such an outstanding disciple like me,” said Ye Futian with a smile. He walked away from them.
Qin Xuangang, Yan Yuan, and the others watched his retreating figure with a smile. This guy was outstanding, indeed!
