Emissaries Arrive
On the other side, the Azure Cloud Immortal Dynasty also welcomed many unfriendly guests.
Above the clouds, a massive procession of flying chariots sped by, carrying only officials from the Ministry of Rites of the Radiant Divine Kingdom.
They followed the Eight Radiant Emissary all the way here, collecting tribute along the way. Every official looked radiant, clearly having reaped a great harvest.
You are obligated to pay tribute, but shouldn't I also be compensated for the trouble I went to personally?
If you don't give it to him, I've come all this way for nothing.
Similarly, if I don't take it, and you don't take it, how will the Minister take it? If the Minister doesn't take it, how will we both advance in our careers?
Of course, among the more than 10,000 vassal kingdoms, there are some that cannot afford or do not want to pay tribute. After all, wartime tribute is different from peacetime tribute, being ten times more than usual!
That makes things much easier. We can just confiscate their property and destroy their kingdoms one by one. With the Eight Great Radiant Emissary around, these immortal kingdoms simply cannot withstand us. We have already destroyed dozens of immortal kingdoms along the way.
"We've arrived at the Azure Cloud Immortal Dynasty. This should be the last immortal kingdom we'll be collecting tribute from this time."
"Yes, we haven't collected Soaring Clouds's share yet. We need to finish collecting it quickly and get back. The air here is terrible, not as sweet as the air in our Radiant Divine Kingdom. I'm coughing as I breathe it in."
"My 100,000 concubines are waiting for me to return and favor them."
On the flying carriage, the officials of the Ministry of Rites gathered together, discussing the matter animatedly.
They had eaten their fill during this tribute-gathering trip, and now they just wanted to hurry back to enjoy themselves.
As for other matters, those are matters for the Radiant Emissary to consider, and have nothing to do with them.
"This is the Soaring Clouds Dynasty? It's a barren land, a godforsaken place. I don't know why those people in the court insisted on sending us here."
"We must not be careless. The court has its reasons for sending us. In my opinion, although the Soaring Clouds Dynasty is poor and weak, the Soaring Clouds cultivators below Divine Capital. It seems that under the rule of the mysterious six venerables, Soaring Clouds is indeed rising."
Two Heaven-rank Light Emissary and six Earth-rank Light Emissary stood at the front of the flying chariot procession, all carefully observing everything in Soaring Clouds.
The imperial court assigned them the task of investigating the Azure Cloud Immortal Dynasty and the mysterious Six Venerables. If it was confirmed that they were related to the Evernight Empire, they were to be eliminated immediately.
Regarding Soaring Clouds below, two Earth-rank Light Emissary also gave different opinions.
"What kind of bullshit Six Venerables are they? These days, any Tom, Dick, or Harry can be called Venerable? They're just a bunch of frogs in a well, only good for hopping around in this kind of small place."
"This Earth-rank Light Emissary said disdainfully."
In his eyes, the Radiant Divine Kingdom was the true overlord of Qinghan Immortal Prefecture. So what if the six Supreme Venerables of Soaring Clouds came from the Evernight Empire? They were still not worthy of respect.
A short while later, Azure Cloud Immortal Capital.
The flying chariot carrying the officials of the Ministry of Rites of the Radiant Divine Kingdom and the eight great Radiant Emissary came to a steady stop above the Immortal Capital.
With such a grand arrival, it should have caused quite a stir, right?
However, the cultivators in Azure Cloud Immortal Capital acted as if they didn't see them and went about their own business. Even the maids and guards in the Azure Cloud Immortal Palace ignored them.
"This Azure Cloud Immortal Dynasty is outrageous! We arrived in person, and not only did the Azure Cloud Empress not lead her civil and military officials to welcome us, but there wasn't even a welcoming ceremony!"
The officials of the Ministry of Rites all frowned in dissatisfaction, and their impression of the Azure Cloud Immortal Dynasty was extremely poor.
Along their journey, they were treated as honored guests wherever they went, with the celestial lords of both large and small immortal kingdoms personally welcoming them.
Not to mention the grand welcoming ceremony and generous gifts, some even sent his concubines and empresses for their amusement.
"Lord Chen, the Azure Cloud Immortal Dynasty simply doesn't respect us or our Radiant Divine Kingdom at all!"
"I wonder who gave them this confidence? I think it's most likely the Eternal Evernight Empire. Those Six Supreme Beings must have been sent by Evernight."
"An Earth-rank Light Emissary certainty."
The Lord Chen he mentioned was one of the two Heaven-rank Light Emissary on this trip, named Chen Tiansheng, with the honorific title of God Lord Tiansheng. He was renowned and famous throughout Qinghan Immortal Prefecture.
Another Heaven-rank Light Emissary named Wu Tianguang, with the title of God Lord Tianguang. His cultivation is comparable to that of God Lord Tiansheng, both being at the third level of the God Lord Realm.
Faced with complaints from their subordinates and other officials of the Ministry of Rites, the two men remained unmoved, watching everything indifferently.
"No rush. After I meet the six supreme beings, I will make my own decision," said the God Lord Tiansheng calmly.
For the sake of the greater good, they did not lose their temper on the spot, and the group suppressed their anger as they went to the Azure Cloud Immortal Palace.
The vast celestial palace was very quiet. None of Soaring Clouds's civil and military officials attended the court session. Only Empress Ouyang Ning and the six figures behind her were present.
Ouyang Ning sat upright in the main seat, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her soft, smooth hands tightly gripping her dress, revealing that she was not at peace with herself.
"Your Excellency, they have arrived!"
She had barely finished speaking.
A dozen or so officials from the Ministry of Rites of the Radiant Divine Kingdom stormed into the Immortal Palace.
The eight Radiant Emissary were waiting in a side hall next to the celestial palace. This was suggested by the Heaven-rank Light Emissary God Lord Tianguang, to first send the people from the Ministry of Rites to test the strength of the Azure Cloud Six Venerables.
If Soaring Clouds obediently pays ten times the usual tribute, then things will be much easier.
As for their safety? Sorry, Divine Kingdom has no shortage of these parasites.
"So you're Azure Cloud Empress? Poor aptitude, poor cultivation, and lack of presence, what a joke," an official from the Ministry of Rites said disdainfully, giving Ouyang Ning, who was seated in the main seat, an arrogant look.
"Exactly, no wonder Soaring Clouds's hospitality and everything else is so terrible. It's no wonder things are bad with Empress like that."
"Azure Cloud Empress, do you know your crime? My Radiant Divine Kingdom is the Sovereign Nation of your Soaring Clouds, so we are your superiors. Now we are standing here while you are sitting there. Is this how you treat your superiors? I think you are clearly plotting a rebellion!"
The other officials from the Ministry of Rites also joined in the denunciation. They were already full of resentment, and when they arrived here and found that there was not even a place for them to sit, they immediately broke down.
"Oh? What kind of hospitality do you want? Tell me."
Shi Hao led the way from behind, followed by Lin Bai, Hua Qingyu, Lin Feng, Mu Shuixian, and Lin Anye.
Huh? The officials from the Ministry of Rites of Guangming were surprised for a moment when they saw the six people who suddenly appeared, but then they all realized what was going on.
Six people, six venerable ones... They must be the Azure Cloud Six Venerables!
No way! What are these four little dolls?
Is this the Six Supreme Venerables that made those people in the imperial court wary? The Six Supreme Venerables for whom they specially dispatched two Heaven-rank Light Emissary and six Earth-rank Light Emissary to deal with?
We've all been tricked!