God Emperor

“Thank you.”

Zhang Ruochen accepted the Withered Pill. Using Holy Qi, he covered the pill so the Qi wouldn’t be lost after being exposed to the air.

Saint Lady studied Zhang Ruochen and shook her head softly. “In the tomb forest, I told you that I would give you an opportunity. At that time, I’d already decided to send you to the Heir Seat and help you become one of the nine Heirs, no matter what. Since you don’t wish to be an Heir, I’ll give you Saint Decree.”

Saint Lady waved her sleeve. A golden scroll flew out and hovered in the air. She cut her slender right forefinger and wrote quickly in the air with it. Drops of saintly blood instantly flew out. They fell on the scroll and transformed into a block of text.

When the words appeared, the scroll shone blindingly. Powerful saintly might poured out of the scroll.

Zhang Ruochen was surprised. “The Blood Print Saint Decree.”

The Blood Print Saint Decree was obviously very different from a typical Saint Decree. Those were created when a Saint wrote with ink. It would still contain saintly might, but it only stored a little bit of the Saint’s power.

The Blood Print Saint Decree was different. It was written with the Saint’s blood and could store a great amount of their power. Furthermore, if anyone held the Saint Decree, it would be the same as if the Saint had arrived personally. It held great significance.

The Saint Lady rolled up the scroll and handed it to Zhang Ruochen. “From now on, you can use this when you run into trouble and, to some extent, utilize the imperial court’s power. The Ministry of War, World God Temple, the major public offices, and even the four Confucian sects should listen to me. Of course, if you use my Saint Decree to do illegal things, I will immediately take it back.”

She handed the Blood Print Saint Decree to Zhang Ruochen to repay him. Zhang Ruochen would have a clear conscience even if he took it.

Thus, he accepted it without hesitation. Then he looked at Saint Lady’s flawlessly beautiful features and smiled. “No wonder you’re one of the Nine Heavenly Maidens by the empress’ side. You want to take me in so quickly.”

If Zhang Ruochen used the Blood Print Saint Decree, those in the imperial court would naturally think that he was under the Saint Lady now. That was why he suspected the Saint Lady was using this to bribe him.

“More than that, I wish to become your friend. Actually…if you become an Heir, your path of cultivation will be hundreds or even thousands of times easier now… Whatever.”

The Saint Lady smiled and continued, “If you return to the Central Region in the future, remember to come see me. Remember, we’re friends. Don’t call me ‘Your Excellence’ or ‘Saint Lady’ anymore. My name is Nalan Danqing.”

Before her words even registered fully, she stepped forward. Her willowy figure transformed into a puff of inky smoke. When it dissipated, she was gone.

Whoosh!

Then the inky world scattered, revealing the true world. Zhang Ruochen was still sitting cross-legged on the ground and he was still on Scroll Mountain. There was still a mass of people around him; the sounds of battles still rang in his ears.

Everything that had happened was like a dream.

But there truly was a Withered Pill and a Saint Decree in Zhang Ruochen’s hands. It proved that he and the Saint Lady had truly met alone just then.

Nalan Danqing.

Zhang Ruochen glanced at the mountaintop. He smiled, shaking his head, and put the Saint Decree away in his sleeve. Then he glanced at the Withered Pill in his hands. “So generous,” he muttered to himself. “She actually just gives away Withered Pills.”

The Withered Pill, a grade nine pill, was known to be a treasure that could revive the dead. As long as a Monk was still breathing, they could be saved after taking this pill.

One could only buy the Withered Pill at large auctions. Even then, it would be extremely expensive—at least two or three thousand spirit crystals.

Even a Half-Saint would give up everything for a Withered Pill. It was evidently very precious.

Zhang Ruochen’s state was critical, but he could still endure it, so he didn’t really want to use the Withered Pill.

I’ll save it for the future. It might save my life.

He put the Withered Pill away and took out a grade six treatment pill. Swallowing it, he continued healing himself.

The Heir Banquet battles dragged on to the later half of midnight before finally dying down.

The nine Heir Seats, 108 King Seats, 3,000 Conquer Seats, and 18,000 Talent Seats were filled completely. The talents of Kunlun’s Field were all together here. It was a once-in-a-millennium occasion.

After several rounds of battles, the nine Heir Seats were confirmed too. They sat firmly in their seats by displaying abilities that far surpassed the others. They’d earned their spots.

Zhang Ruochen was curious too. He looked up, wanting to know who the nine Heirs were.

They were six men and three women.

He knew five of them: Ouyang Huan of the Demonic Sect, Xue Wuye of the Wanxiang City, Gai Tianjiao of the Yin and Yang Sect, Beigong Lan of the Central Region Saint Academy, and Monk Lidi of the Nirvana Sect.

He didn’t know the other four at all.

They must be extraordinary if they could pull through from the various rounds of battle. Each one is a brilliant talent. Zhang Ruochen nodded subtly.

He’d personally seen Ouyang Huan and Gai Tianjiao fight. They were both crazy fighters. With Zhang Ruochen’s current cultivation state, he wouldn’t be able to get the upper hand against them, unless he used the Void Sword and power of time and space.

Beigong Lan was amazing too. She had already cultivated Sword Two to the fourth level at her young age. Countless people would only dream of her talent and level.

However, Zhang Ruochen didn’t fully understand Monk Lidi and Xue Wuye’s abilities.

Monk Lidi had specially melded with the Buddha’s golden body. Even if he didn’t do anything, those below the seventh level Half-Saint wouldn’t be able to hurt him. He was something entirely different.

As for Xue Wuye, his abilities should be equal to Ouyang Huan. However, Zhang Ruochen had a fuzzy feeling that Xue Wuye possessed powerful sword intent. It was possible he’d cultivated Sword Two to the fifth level, which was the complete state.

If this was the case, he would actually be stronger than Ouyang Huan.

The nine Heir Seats were obviously extremely valuable. Those who represented the Heirs far surpassed the others.

Those in the 108 King Seats shouldn’t be overlooked either. As kings of the younger generation, they had all had the potential to try for an Heir Seat, but failed due to some personal reasons.

For example, Bu Qianfan in the fifth King Seat had the Immortal Saint Body and was very strong. However, he’d only recently entered the Ninth Change of the Fish-Dragon Realm, so he was at quite a disadvantage.

If he had two more years, he could be at the pinnacle of the Ninth Change or have refined a drop of sacred blood. Then he would definitely be able to compete with Ouyang Huan and Gai Tianjiao for an Heir Seat.

One could only lament that he’d been born two years too late.

Then there was Ao Xinyan and the Orange Moon Star Emissary. They both had great potential. If they had the time to cultivate their Dragon Body or Extreme Yin Body successfully, they could compete with the nine Heirs too.

After the battles, the seats were all filled. However, the Heir Banquet was just starting.

Saint Lady rose from her seat. Manipulating all the Holy Qi in her, she announced, “Wine to the Talent Seats.”

Many pretty girls from the bottom of Scroll Mountain carried jade platters and climbed up the mountain. They handed a flagon of wine to each Talent. Soon, every single one of the 18,000 Talents had received a flagon.

It was all the same type of wine, but the amount differed. Those in higher positions had more wine.

The genius at the 18,000th Talent seat was a dark-skinned man with bushy facial hair. He lifted the flagon and poured out a cup. There wasn’t a single drop left in the flagon.

“Only one cup? Saint Lady, that’s too stingy! This tiny cup isn’t even enough to pick my teeth with,” the man complained with a bitter expression.

The other Talents all lifted their flagons and shook them. Then they set them down with knowing smiles.

The Talent in the first seat was overjoyed because his flagon was filled completely. Who knew how many cups it contained?

Saint Lady smiled sweetly. “You’re complaining? You must know that this tiny cup of wine is worth five million spirit crystals and is not sold anywhere. Even a Half-Saint might not be able to drink it.”

Five million spirit crystals for a tiny cup? The Saint Lady obviously wouldn’t lie about this.

Everyone was in disbelief. Some of them picked up their cups and tried the wine.

“This is…the legendary Six Saints to the Sky Wine…” A Talent in the Ninth Change of the Fish-Dragon Realm held his cup. His face was entirely red and he shook excitedly. He could barely speak coherently and he’d completely forgotten about his image. “The Martial Market Bank auctioned it once before. Just a drop was worth 50,000 spirit crystals.”

“What? Six Saints to the Sky Wine?”

The other Talents were all shocked too. The Sky Wine had been created by six Saints in the middle ages who’d studied it for their entire lives.

Drinking one cup would give them the power to reach the sky. The Monks’ bodies would improve greatly. If an average man drank a whole flagon, his body would reach the state of a Saint Body. It was practically like shooting to the sky.

At first, the six Saints had created this wine to strengthen human bodies and train humanity against the savage beasts. Unfortunately, just as they made the first batch, they were attacked by powerful beasts.

To prevent the formula from being taken by the beasts, the six Saints had destroyed it at once. Afterward, the six Saints had been killed by the beasts. No one knew the formula of the Sky Wine.

This was why people called it the “Six Saints to the Sky Wine.”

The young Monks in the first ten Talent Seats were ecstatic. They all had a full flagon of the wine. With this, they could turn their bodies to the level of a Saint Body. They could truly reach the sky with one step.

As expected, the Saint Lady gave extraordinary gifts. This was the true Heir Banquet.

With the 18,000 Talent Seats receiving such a precious wine, the higher Conquer Seats, King Seats, and Heir Seats must have the opportunity to taste even more extraordinary things.