"Who are you?"
Inside the magnificent, resplendent hall, Emperor Lizhi of Tang sat upon the Dragon Throne, listening with utter boredom to the officials below report on yet another region struck by disaster and yet another department short of funds. These matters irritated him greatly.
As the ruler of the mortal realm, he had no desire to be like his ancestors, exhausting himself for the sake of the world. In his view, as emperor, he ought to enjoy himself properly.
He sat upon the wealth of the realm, yet had no desire to serve its people.
By his generation, the Tang Dynasty had already begun to decline.
Demons, devils, immortals, and gods existed in this world. Thus, while indulging himself, Emperor Lizhi of Tang had also developed other ambitions.
Which emperor throughout the ages had not coveted immortality? Even Qin Shi Huang had pursued eternal life with unwavering determination.
Emperor Lizhi of Tang was no different. He wanted immortality so that he could properly enjoy this world.
In the end, he was simply someone who wanted pleasure without responsibility. He occupied his position but had no desire to fulfill its duties, and he had no intention of caring whether the people lived or died.
At that time, the Imperial Advisor, who cultivated demonic arts, appeared before Li Shi. To fulfill his dream of immortality, Li Shi, as emperor, granted the Imperial Advisor immense authority—something unprecedented among emperors throughout history.
Yet to Li Shi, all of this was worthwhile. So long as he could attain immortality, no amount of wealth or power was too much to give.
Just then, during the morning court, someone descended from the heavens amid a burst of rosy light and appeared in the imperial court. Everyone was stunned beyond belief.
This was the morning court. How