Volume Three: Love's Wounds - The Imperial Palace (Complete)

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Early in the morning, vendors in the capital were already calling out their wares on the streets, creating a lively scene with people coming and going.

Today is the day Zhang Xingfeng is to enter the palace, and everyone at the Star Peak Manor is very happy. Zhang Xingfeng had no choice but to wear a brocade robe made entirely of embroidery. Normally, any clothes would be fine for Zhang Xingfeng, but today he is going to the palace.

Star Peak Manor was decorated with lanterns and filled with joy, and today's protagonist, Zhang Xingfeng, was sitting in the hall waiting for the people from the palace to arrive.

"Master, master, the palace guards are here! They're here!" a servant rushed in from outside, saying anxiously.

"Are you here, Master? Light up! We're about to enter the palace!" Li Da shouted loudly at the entrance of the hall.

"Second brother, why are you still so leisurely? We're about to enter the palace!" Lang Feng reminded him from the side.

Zhang Xingfeng really didn't understand. It was just meeting a mortal emperor, why did it have to be so solemn? In the Cultivation World, emperors were always very respectful to cultivators, but now they were making such a big fuss over an emperor's bestowal.

Seeing everyone around him urging him on, Zhang Xingfeng could only force a smile and walk out.

Two guards dressed in yellow brocade robes stood arrogantly at the gate. When they saw Zhang Xingfeng and his group arrive, they deliberately asked loudly, "Who is Zhang Xingfeng?"

Zhang Xingfeng took two steps forward and said calmly, "I am Zhang Xingfeng."

The two guards seemed very dissatisfied with Zhang Xingfeng's attitude and were about to shout at him when Brother Wang walked up to them and said, "You two have come all the way to the Star Peak Manor. This is for us to buy some wine!"

He then placed a stack of silver notes in their hands. The lead guard looked at the stack of silver notes in his hand and then at the large characters "one hundred taels" on the notes. The two guards immediately became polite. One hundred taels per note, this stack must be at least one thousand taels. Five hundred taels for each of them, five hundred taels is their annual salary.

"Oh, what are you saying? Since you're so good to us two brothers, just come to us if you ever need anything. My name is Zhang Long, and his is Zhao Hu. From now on, we're brothers, hehe..."

Zhang Xingfeng smiled. He never bothered with these snobbish guys. Seeing what Brother Wang did, Zhang Xingfeng pretended not to see it. Actually, he didn't want to be harassed by these two guys either. It was just that he found it hard to lower himself to be polite and hypocritical with such snobbish people.

After riding his tall horse and bidding farewell to Brother Wang and the Brother Wang, Zhang Xingfeng and the two guards sped towards the palace.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhang Xingfeng and some others who were about to be granted titles stood outside the Golden Palace, waiting for the emperor's summons.

"Wang Tian, Zhang Xingfeng, Li Hou, Qi Xiaoti pay their respects!" The shrill voice rang out in the Golden Palace.

Zhang Xingfeng and his group, who had been standing outside for a long time, immediately entered the main hall. The magnificent hall, with its carved railings, brocade flowers, and golden splendor, left these people who were visiting the Golden Palace for the first time dumbfounded. Although they were all extremely wealthy, they had only recently become rich and could not compare with those Lineage that had been established for hundreds of years in terms of enjoyment.

Zhang Xingfeng remained calm and composed, showing no unusual emotional fluctuations even upon arriving at the Golden Palace.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" Zhang Xingfeng had no choice but to kneel down with the other three guys.

"Rise, everyone. You are the pillars of our Great Ming Dynasty, hehe," the Emperor, seated high in the Golden Palace, said in a loud voice. The current Emperor is now over fifty years old, but he is still very healthy. He is also a wise and virtuous ruler since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. This National Martial Academy was founded by him.

"Who is Zhang Xingfeng?" the Emperor suddenly shouted.

Zhang Xingfeng immediately stepped forward and respectfully said, "This humble subject, Zhang Xingfeng, greets Your Majesty."

Zhu Li gazed at the young man below with great curiosity. This young man had left the Zhang Family, one of the Four Great Families, at the age of six, and by seven, he had reached at least the third rank at the National Martial Academy, his fame spreading throughout the land. In just ten years, his "Dragon Soaring Jade Shop" had completely defeated the Earl's Lineage's pillar business, "Baoyuxiang," becoming the true leader in the jade industry. The flawless jade pieces from "Dragon Soaring Dragon Soaring Jade Shop" were renowned far and wide. All these miracles were the work of this young man.

However, the important thing is that Zhu Li knew about the unprecedented battle that took place in the Yuwen Family. He was well aware of the power of the Four Great Families who held power in the Ming Dynasty, and he also knew the terror of the Li Family. He knew that if the Li Family had wanted to rebel, he would have lost his throne long ago. Fortunately, the Four Great Families were primarily engaged in commerce and had no ambition for the throne.

In that battle, the Li Family lost a Heavenly Realm Divine Guards and four First-grade realm experts. Even the two old fogies of the seemingly invincible Li Family were defeated. Zhu Li vividly remembered the shock he felt when he first learned of this, and even now, seeing the refined young man before him, he found it hard to believe that this young man was responsible for all of that. Upon learning of this person, Zhu Li's first thought was to recruit Zhang Xingfeng into his ranks.

Zhu Li smiled and stared straight at Zhang Xingfeng without saying a word. His mind was racing, filled with thoughts about Zhang Xingfeng.

The entire Golden Palace fell silent for a moment. Only the Emperor stared at Zhang Xingfeng. If it were anyone else being stared at like that by the Emperor without saying a word, they would probably be terrified. But Zhang Xingfeng showed no discomfort and simply looked at Zhu Li with a faint smile.

After a while, Zhu Li came to his senses. Seeing everything in the Golden Palace, he knew what had happened, but he still smiled and said kindly, "Lord Zhang, I heard that you reached the Third Rank Realm when you were seven years old. I wonder what rank you have reached now? I am really curious!"

Zhang Xingfeng was stunned. Everyone knew that the highest realm was the First-grade realm. What could he do?

Zhang Xingfeng respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, I reached the First-grade realm a year ago." Having no other choice, Zhang Xingfeng instantly reduced his power level by many times.

However, the entire Golden Palace instantly erupted in chaos. Zhang Xingfeng was not even twenty years old yet, and he had already reached the First-grade realm at such a young age. This was unprecedented, even if it could not be called the last of its kind. How could the officials of the court accept such a mythical thing?

"What kind of behavior is this!" Zhu Li roared, glaring at the officials in the court, displaying the majesty of what was arguably the most enlightened emperor since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. All the officials fell silent instantly. It should be noted that Zhu Li was also one of the most notorious officials to have been executed since the dynasty's inception!

Zhu Li instantly put on a smiling face and said loudly to Zhang Xingfeng, "Lord Zhang, I admire you very much, but as you can see, it seems that no one really believes in you. Could you give us a performance?"

Zhu Li was well aware of Zhang Xingfeng's power; if Zhang Xingfeng were to unleash his full power, even killing him wouldn't be an option. Therefore, he spoke to Zhang Xingfeng in a very friendly manner, like a conversation between an elder and a younger person.

Zhang Xingfeng gave a helpless bitter smile. What could he do? He could only respectfully say, "This humble subject is honored to have such an opportunity! Your Majesty, may we begin now?"

Zhu Li was taken aback. It would be easy for a peerless master like Zhang Xingfeng to unleash the power of a first-rank master, but could the Golden Palace withstand his antics?

Zhu Li asked doubtfully, "Right here? Is that alright?"

Zhang Xingfeng smiled and said, "Of course, I'm very confident."

Zhu Li laughed heartily, "Alright, but don't worry about hurting my beloved minister! Oh dear, I'm being too stingy. It's just the Golden Palace, Zhang Gong, so go ahead and do what you want, don't hold back, hehe..."

"Yes," Zhang Xingfeng smiled. Actually, he quite liked the emperor in front of him; his magnanimity made him feel good!

Looking at the group of officials on the left who were walking fearfully to the edge of the Golden Palace, Zhang Xingfeng smiled. It seemed that these civil officials were very afraid of death. The military general on the right, however, was quite spirited and did not move. He stared straight at Zhang Xingfeng, looking forward to his performance.

With a flick of his right hand, Zhang Xingfeng leaped into the air, and a Blade Aura appeared beneath Zhang Xingfeng feet. The Blade Aura, as if solid, held Zhang Xingfeng firmly in mid-air. Zhang Xingfeng stood proudly on the Blade Aura, his hands behind his back, and everyone stared in astonishment at Zhang Xingfeng, who seemed like a god.

"The Blade Aura Materialization! I am more than satisfied to witness such a legendary technique!" the general in his position exclaimed.

"General Fan, I am also very happy to witness the ultimate sword technique, 'the Blade Aura Materialization light.' It is truly an honor. Zhang Xingfeng, how did you train when you were young? How did you become so powerful?" Zhu Li used to lead troops in the army and often showed his martial arts side.

Zhang Xingfeng smiled upon hearing this, and was actually quite pleased. "Your Majesty, it's hard to say how to train martial arts; the main thing is that your master is good!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Li immediately said, "Oh, Master, your profound skills were honed by your master! May I meet your master? I have always wanted to meet a reclusive master, but I have never had the opportunity. I wonder if Lord Zhang could grant me this chance?"

Zhang Xingfeng smiled. Everything was just as he had expected, so he said happily, "Your Majesty, my master, Tian Xin, is now a Daoist immortal. It was by fortuitous opportunity that he took me as his disciple. I don't even know where my master is."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Li chuckled inwardly: Just as I expected, you, Zhang Xingfeng, have a master. Your martial arts are already so impressive, and your master has even reached the realm of an immortal. It seems I must hold onto you, Zhang Xingfeng, so that I can restore the imperial dignity and let the Four Great Families know that the world belongs to the imperial family.

Zhu Li looked at Zhang Xingfeng and sighed, "It's such a pity that I didn't have the chance to meet an immortal like your master. It's a real shame. Oh well, such opportunities are rare and hard to come by. Lord Zhang, I've forgotten about today's important matter. Haha! Alright, let's begin the conferment ceremony now."

The other three guys immediately walked over to Zhang Xingfeng's side, feeling very angry: Today had turned into Zhang Xingfeng's performance day!

The old eunuch standing next to the Emperor shouted in a shrill voice, "Wang Tian, Zhang Xingfeng, Li Hou, Qi Xiaoti, receive your titles! By imperial decree, Wang Tian, Zhang Xingfeng, Li Hou, Qi Xiaoti have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty and are hereby granted the title of Baron of the Ming Dynasty. Respectfully submitted!"

Zhang Xingfeng and the other three knelt down and thanked His Majesty, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!"

The four men accepted a token symbolizing a baron and the suit of clothes.

Wang Tian strode forward and said, "Your Majesty, today, to express my gratitude for Your Majesty's concern for my Wang Family, I have brought two million taels of silver. I hope Your Majesty will accept it!"

Empress Li Hou strode forward and said, "Your Majesty, today, to express my gratitude for Your Majesty's concern for my Li Family, I have brought 1.5 million taels of silver. I hope Your Majesty will accept it with pleasure!"

Qi Xiaoti strode forward and said, "Your Majesty, to express my gratitude for Your Majesty's concern for my Qi family, my elders have asked me to bring three million taels of silver. I hope Your Majesty will accept it with pleasure!"

Zhang Xingfeng was stunned. He really didn't know that being granted the title of baron required him to pay the emperor a bribe. Seeing everyone staring at him, he looked quite displeased.

Seeing Zhang Xingfeng like this, Zhu Li chuckled inwardly. This little guy might really have forgotten to bring anything. Let's see what he does! He watched Zhang Xingfeng with a smile, seemingly waiting for Zhang Xingfeng's gift.

Wang Tian and the others glanced at Zhang Xingfeng with a mocking look. "Look how arrogant you were just now, let's see what you do now!"

Zhang Xingfeng smiled bitterly to himself, then suddenly an idea struck him. He stepped forward with a smile and respectfully said to Zhu Li, "Your Majesty, today I have brought a kind of elixir that my master cultivated. It is very ordinary to him. One of these elixirs can increase one's cultivation by thirty years. Now I present Your Majesty with five elixirs. I hope Your Majesty will accept them with pleasure!"

Upon hearing that his cultivation would increase by thirty years, Zhu Li was immediately thrilled, almost jumping off the dragon throne to snatch it from Zhang Xingfeng. Throughout the Azure Dragon Continent, in the covert power struggles, the imperial court was completely at the bottom. Although it had four first-rank experts, it had none at the Heavenly Realm. This was mainly because the Ming Dynasty had only been established for a hundred years; how could it possibly have many peerless experts? But with these five spirit pills, the imperial court would have four Heavenly Realm experts. Keep in mind that the Li Family's Divine Guards and Hidden Divine Guard totaled six, and even after Zhang Xingfeng killed two, they only had four! Now, the imperial court instantly had four experts! Their bargaining power in the covert struggles would greatly increase!

Upon seeing the five spirit pills presented by Zhang Xingfeng, Zhu Li's eyes widened, and he laughed loudly, "Haha... Good, good, Zhang Xingfeng, you're very good! Good, now I will bestow upon you the title of Earl, yes, Earl! Hahaha... Good, court adjourned!"

After Zhu Li finished speaking, he quickly took the five spirit pills and slipped away. He even canceled the ceremony of bestowing the title of Earl. He only had the eunuch give him a token and a set of clothes representing the Earl. Zhu Li really wanted his four top experts to reach the Heavenly Realm. More importantly, he himself was also a first-rank expert. After taking the spirit pills, he would reach the Heavenly Realm and become immortal!

The court officials immediately went to congratulate Zhang Xingfeng. It should be known that there were many barons in the Ming Dynasty, but very few earls. The significance of becoming an earl was beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

"Earl Zhang, you are truly a promising young man with limitless potential!"

"Earl Zhang, you are not yet engaged. My daughter is sixteen years old this year, and she is as beautiful as a flower. Could you perhaps..."

"Lord Wang's daughter is so ugly, Earl Zhang, please don't be fooled! My daughter is only seventeen this year, virtuous and dignified..."

Zhang Xingfeng went mad, but all the officials were packed tightly together; there was no way to escape!

The three lonely and frustrated guys standing to the side couldn't understand why they hadn't received a single word of praise for giving away over a million taels of silver, while Zhang Xingfeng had become an earl immediately after giving away just five mung bean-sized elixirs! It really is true that comparison is the thief of joy!

Seeing so many people offering their congratulations so enthusiastically, Zhang Xingfeng couldn't take it anymore. Finally, he found an opening and used his unparalleled lightness skill to disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a group of court officials sighing and lamenting, "He's truly a peerless master! Even his lightness skill is so amazing that we couldn't even see a shadow of him!"

Zhang Xingfeng ran to the outside of the palace, looked back, and sighed, "This palace is really no place for a human to stay."

"Master Zhang, Master Zhang, are you going home? Would you like me to give you a ride?"

Zhang Xingfeng looked up and saw Zhang Long, riding a tall horse with an imposing air, smiling broadly as he spoke. Ever since he received the money from the Star Peak Manor, Zhang Long's attitude towards Zhang Xingfeng had completely changed! In his eyes, Zhang Xingfeng was a walking gold mine!

Zhang Xingfeng shuddered. He didn't want to get entangled with the imperial court any longer, so he immediately said, "No need, I can go back by myself, thank you!" As he spoke, Zhang Xingfeng used his unparalleled lightness skill to disappear without a trace.

Zhang Long was stunned; what's going on? Am I a tiger? Why did you run away as soon as you saw me? Oh dear, I wanted to get some more benefits!

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"Master is back! Master is back..." The servants shouted loudly as soon as they saw Zhang Xingfeng, and everyone in the manor rushed over.

Li Da had run away, but his eyes lit up as soon as he saw Zhang Xingfeng. "Master, no, Lord Zhang, I am here to pay my respects to you!"

When Zhang Xingfeng saw Li Da's condition, it seemed as if he saw people from the palace again. With a wave of his hand, Li Da's speech acupoint was sealed, and he could only gesticulate wildly without making a sound.

Li Er also ran out, and his eyes lit up immediately when he saw Zhang Xingfeng: "Congratulations, Master! Congratulations, Master..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xingfeng immediately thought of the officials who had offered their congratulations, and with another wave of his hand, Li Er could only dance with joy.

When the others came out, they saw the Li Brothers gesticulating wildly but unable to make a sound, and they all shut their mouths. The Li Brothers could only suffer in distress, because Zhang Xingfeng's acupoint striking technique was not something that could be undoed by others. They could only wait until the acupoints were no longer effective.

Then Brother Wang stepped forward and asked, "Young Master, how was your day?"

Zhang Xingfeng's face turned slightly pale. He tossed the token and clothes in his hand to Brother Wang and ran into the manor, saying only, "You guys see for yourselves, don't bother me!"

Brother Wang looked at the token in his hand, then at the clothes in his hand with a puzzled expression, and said, "Isn't he a baron? How come he's an earl now?" He then turned to look at the others.

Everyone else looked confused. Brother Wang could only glance in the direction of Zhang Xingfeng's room. Remembering what Zhang Xingfeng had just said, he shuddered. He dared not provoke Zhang Xingfeng at this moment. He muttered to himself, "Isn't an earl much better than a baron? What's there to ask?" After saying that, he turned and went back to his room.

Everyone dispersed in a daze, only knowing that Zhang Xingfeng had been granted the title of Earl but not Baron. Of course, the Li Brothers could only dance with joy for a while.

Zhang Xingfeng sat quietly at his desk, looking at the 'Phoenix Seeking Phoenix' on it. His face was calm, no longer showing the foolishness he had just displayed. Zhang Xingfeng suddenly let out a long sigh.

"Your wedding is tomorrow, I must wish you all the best!"

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