The Great Tang Emperor's Word Games

"Is it really Zhuge Xiang!?" The Void Returning Stage experts following behind the Great Tang Emperor discussed among themselves as they looked at the figure inside the golden Bodhisattva lampshade.

These Void Returning Stage powerhouses had all witnessed Zhuge Xiang's strength firsthand. Liu Wugu of the Elder Pavilion was defeated by him in just a few moves. For over a month, countless experts had tried every possible method to challenge and assassinate him, but none had succeeded. Yet today, he had actually been captured alive?

The Golden Body Bodhisattva, with his magnificent Buddhist Power, was awe-inspiring. While his achievement of capturing Zhuge Xiang alive was astonishing, it seemed perfectly reasonable given that he was comparable to the gods and Golden Body Bodhisattva of the Gods and Buddhas of all Heavens. His strength was naturally far superior to Zhuge Xiang's, so it was only natural that he was able to capture Zhuge Xiang alive.

"I have met the Master. May I ask which temple you reside in? As the Great Tang Emperor, I was unaware of such a person as you. I have truly failed in my duty," the Great Tang Emperor said, glancing at Zhuge Xiang, who was imprisoned inside the lampshade.

"I am not a person of the Great Tang Dynasty, and my place of cultivation is adrift in the Void. Therefore, it is only natural that Your Majesty does not know who I am," the Golden Body Bodhisattva replied to the Great Tang Emperor's words.

"In the Void?" Upon hearing the words of the Golden Body Bodhisattva, the Great Tang Emperor was slightly taken Void. He then nodded in realization. That made sense. Only in this way could he explain why he did not recognize the Golden Body Bodhisattva. He had never expected that the Bodhisattva's place of cultivation was actually in the Void.

"I learned by chance that His Your Majesty the Great Tang Emperor has offered Three Great Half-Immortal Artifact as a reward for this Cultivator, Zhuge Xiang. Today, I have captured him on His Your Majesty's behalf. I wonder if His Majesty the Your Majesty of the Great Tang Emperor will honor his promise?" Without much formality with the Great Tang Emperor, the Golden Body Bodhisattva asked.

"Of course, as the Great Tang Emperor, my word is law. How could I go back on my word?" The Great Tang Emperor nodded seriously and spoke.

As he spoke, he reached to his waist and a crimson-gold dragon-shaped rope coiled up like a coiled dragon. He said, "This is the Dragon Binding Rope. Legend has it that it was formed from the tendons of Ancient Times divine dragon. It can bind powerful individuals, and only Immortals can break free."

Seeing the Golden Body Bodhisattva, who showed no sign of interest, the Great Tang Emperor reached into the Void and produced a beautiful robe woven from countless vibrant crimson feathers. He said, "The Rainbow Skirt and Feather Robe, it is said to be woven from the feathers of the Ancient Times divine bird, the Fire Phoenix. It possesses unparalleled defensive capabilities and is immune to all Flame damage."

Unfortunately, the Golden Body Bodhisattva's purpose was very clear: he was solely after the Demon Mirror. Therefore, he showed no reaction to the Rainbow Skirt and Feather Robe...

Seeing that neither the Dragon Binding Rope nor the Rainbow Skirt and Feather Robe interested the Golden Body Bodhisattva, the Great Tang Emperor had no choice but to take out the third Half-Immortal Artifact. With a flick of his wrist, a simple, ancient bronze furnace appeared in his hand.

"This is a legendary Exotic Treasure, the Eight Trigrams Furnace, used to forge all supreme treasures. It is said that powerful weapon-forging masters can even forge Half-Immortal Artifact, or even true Immortal Artifact."

"The Three Great Half-Immortal Artifact are the Dragon Binding Rope, the Rainbow Skirt and Feather Robe, and the Eight Trigrams Furnace..." After presenting all three Half-Immortal Artifacts, the Great Tang Emperor spoke to the Golden Body Bodhisattva.

"These are the three? I've heard that among the Three Great Half-Immortal Artifact of the Great Tang, there's a Demon Mirror, isn't there?" The Golden Body Bodhisattva asked, noting the addition of an Eight Trigrams Furnace, but the demon-revealing Demon Mirror, which was originally their target, was gone.

"I'm sorry, although I do have the Demon Mirror, I don't intend to use it as a reward. Therefore, the Three Great Half-Immortal Artifact I mentioned are the Dragon Binding Rope, the Rainbow Skirt and Feather Robe, and the Eight Trigrams Furnace," the Great Tang Emperor replied to the question about the Golden Body Bodhisattva.

The Dragon Binding Rope and the Rainbow Skirt and Feather Robe were both well-known Half-Immortal Artifact of the Great Tang Dynasty. Therefore Void Returning Stage experts behind the Great Tang Emperor showed no difference in their expressions when it came to these two Half-Immortal Artifacts. However, when the Eight Trigrams Furnace was taken out, the faces of those experts behind the Great Tang Emperor all showed surprise.

"Why can't the Demon Mirror be given as a reward?" The Golden Body Bodhisattva frowned slightly and asked. He had come for the Demon Mirror, but now the Great Tang Emperor was not going to give it as a reward, which was indeed beyond the Golden Body Bodhisattva's expectations.

The words of the Golden Body Bodhisattva aroused the suspicion of the Great Tang Emperor, who asked in return, "Actually, I am even more surprised. The value of the Eight Trigrams Furnace is no less than that of the Demon Mirror. Why do you, Bodhisattva, insist on needing the Demon Mirror?"

"Your Majesty is unaware that my temple is located in the Void, where countless Yaomo Ghosts and Monsters constantly try to infiltrate. Therefore, I need a Demon Mirror to hang high at the top of the temple to deter these demons." Fortunately, he had already prepared a reason for needing the Demon Mirror when he discussed it with Zhuge Xiang and others. Thus, seeing that the Great Tang Emperor was becoming suspicious, the Golden Body Bodhisattva answered fluently.

Although the Void was desolate, countless Yaomo Ghosts and Monsters roamed there, like the Undying Great Roc. The Great Tang Emperor aware of this, so upon hearing the words of the Golden Body Bodhisattva, he nodded in understanding, and much of his suspicion disappeared.

"Unfortunately, this Demon Mirror is extremely important to our Great Tang. We really cannot accept it as your prize. I hope the Bodhisattva can understand..." Shaking his head, the Great Tang Emperor still insisted on his own opinion and was unwilling to take out the Demon Mirror.

"Since that's the case, I can't hand over Zhuge Xiang to you. Although your other treasures are good things, I don't need them," the Golden Bodhisattva said, shaking his head. Since the Great Tang Emperor was unwilling to hand over the Demon Mirror, the Golden Body Bodhisattva naturally couldn't hand over Zhuge Xiang either, so he retreated to advance.

"Bodhisattva, wait..." Sure enough, just as the Golden Body Bodhisattva was turning to leave with Zhuge Xiang, the Great Tang Emperor spoke up.

To capture Zhuge Xiang and silence him, the Great Tang Emperor was even willing to offer Half-Immortal Artifact as a reward. Now that Zhuge Xiang has been captured and is right before their eyes, how could the Great Tang Emperor let him leave so easily?

"Oh? Is there anything else, Your Majesty?" The Golden Body Bodhisattva asked, pausing as if about to leave.

"This Zhuge Xiang is a wanted criminal of our Great Tang Dynasty. Although I cannot give you the Demon Mirror- Revealing Mirror, you can exchange it for a Half-Immortal Artifact. I think you, Bodhisattva, will not lose out. I hope you can hand Zhuge Xiang over to me," the Great Tang Emperor said, staring intently at the Golden Body Bodhisattva. In any case, Zhuge Xiang was already here today, and the Great Tang Emperor would not let him leave easily.

"I'm sorry, I have no use for the Dragon Binding Rope, the Rainbow Skirt and Feather Robe, or the Eight Trigrams Furnace. Treasures I can't use are useless, no matter how good they are. Therefore, I'm not going to make a deal. I want to leave with Zhuge Xiang now," the Golden Body Bodhisattva said, shaking his head and reaffirming his belief. His meaning was simple: if you don't bring out the Demon-Revealing Demon Mirror in exchange, then I will not hand over Zhuge Xiang to you.

"Please, Master, grant my Great Tang a favor..." The emperor's words were already very clear, but this Golden Body Bodhisattva still stubbornly refused to hand over Zhuge Xiang. Behind the emperor, a Void Returning Stage powerhouses couldn't help but speak up, his tone inevitably carrying a hint of threat.

"Hahaha..." The Golden Body Bodhisattva exuded the most powerful and yang Buddhist Power, truly like Bodhisattva or Buddha descending to the mortal Buddhist Realm. However, with the threat from this Void Returning Stage Cultivator, he suddenly let out a Human Heart -shaking laugh.

The Golden Body Bodhisattva stared at the Great Tang Emperor and the crowd, and for a moment it seemed as if the Bodhisattva had transformed into an angry Vajra: "Whether or not a transaction is made depends entirely on the will of both parties. Just as your Great Tang refused to hand over the Demon Mirror, I would not force you. But now, do you intend to force me?"

"Bodhisattva has misunderstood..." Seeing the Golden Body Bodhisattva clearly filled with anger, the Great Tang Emperor hurriedly spoke up, explaining, "We absolutely did not mean to threaten you. However, Zhuge Xiang is indeed important to our Great Tang. We hope that the Bodhisattva can consider the well-being of all people and do so for the sake of our Great Tang of citizens."

The Great Tang Emperor spoke completely differently. Buddhist Sect disciples generally considered the well-being of all people as their own, so using the well-being of all people as a pretext would be much easier to say...

If the Golden Body Bodhisattva hadn't truly come for the Demon Mirror, he might have actually been persuaded by the Great Tang Emperor. After all, exchanging a prisoner for a Half-Immortal Artifact seemed like a profitable deal. But unfortunately, the Golden Body Bodhisattva - Demon Mirror...

"Don't give me any high-sounding words. My meaning is very simple: since His Your Majesty is unwilling to exchange the Demon Mirror for it, then I must leave now." Shaking his head, the Golden Body Bodhisattva would not fall for any grand talk about billions of subjects and stubbornly stuck to his own beliefs.

"..." Looking at the Golden Body Bodhisattva, who was unmoved by soft or hard tactics, the Great Tang Emperor felt somewhat troubled. Could he really take Zhuge Xiang away by force? If he could, he wouldn't have let Zhuge Xiang leave in the first place.

On that day, Zhuge Xiang was incredibly powerful, possessing the strength to shatter mountains and rivers with every move. Therefore, no one dared to let him make a move in the Imperial Palace, otherwise, this Imperial Palace, which had stood for thousands of years, would be destroyed in an instant. Now, the Golden Body Bodhisattva's strength is even greater than Zhuge Xiang's. Tell me, if someone wouldn't even fight Zhuge Xiang, how could they possibly fight the Golden Body Bodhisattva in this Imperial Palace?

"In any case, it is an honor to have met the Great Tang Emperor today. However, all things come and go. It seems that my connection with Your Majesty is only this far off. In that case, I shall take my leave..." The resolute Golden Body Bodhisattva clasped his hands together, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and then turned to leave.

"Bodhisattva, please allow me some time to consider..." The Golden Body Bodhisattva had taken Zhuge Xiang away, and finding him again would be even more difficult. Anxious, and seeing that the Golden Body Bodhisattva was truly about to leave, the Great Tang Emperor finally relented. (To be continued...)