Dry Emperor

There was no incident overnight.

News of the Fifth Prince Qin Yu being driven away by Young Master Jun spread widely during the night. However, with the dual-nation duel scheduled for tomorrow, it didn't cause a city-wide uproar.

The next day, as soon as dawn broke, countless citizens and cultivators woke from their sleep.

Qin Jun and the others were no different. He gathered Daji, Howling Celestial Dog, and Guan Yu, then distributed the black robes he had bought beforehand to them.

As for Yan Mo Bei and the others, he told them to rest at Luoya Inn, to avoid being pursued by the Blood Saber King again.

"Why do we have to wear these?" Daji asked curiously.

"To keep a low profile. We'll blend into the crowd first, and only make our move at the crucial moment. This way, the common people, officials, and even the Emperor will be more grateful to us."

Qin Jun chuckled. Daji couldn't help but roll her eyes at his many mischievous ideas.

Guan Yu put on his black robe and said proudly, "Today, I will be like Guan Yunchang from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, warming wine and slaying Hua Xiong!"

So chuunibyou!

Completely chuunibyou!

Qin Jun couldn't help but mock internally. If anyone else had said that, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but coming from Guan Yu, it felt like he was boasting about himself.

Afterward, the group of three plus a black dog went down the stairs. At the same time, quite a few cultivators also emerged from their rooms. Upon seeing Qin Jun, they greeted him with smiles.

"Good morning, Young Master Jun. I didn't expect you to be up so early."

"Haha, why don't we travel together and head to the Vermilion Bird Stage!"

"I heard the Vermilion Bird Stage was built temporarily and it's quite large!"

"We can't help it. The dual-nation duel is a contest of the strongest. If the arena is too small, it'll be hard for both sides to display their skills."

Qin Jun didn't refuse the invitations from these cultivators. He smiled and nodded at each of them, regardless of their cultivation level.

Just as he was about to leave Luoya Inn, the innkeeper suddenly walked over and said, "Young Master Jun, if you need anything in the future, I will definitely help in any way I can. I also hope you won't be too formal with me."

Qin Jun stopped and looked at the innkeeper in surprise. The innkeeper just smiled obsequiously.

"As expected of the innkeeper of Luoya Inn. You fully embody the spirit of choosing your side early." Qin Jun patted the innkeeper's shoulder with an expression of approval.

Although the innkeeper didn't understand Qin Jun's "choosing your side" remark, he could tell it was praise. This meant Qin Jun was willing to accept his overture.

Without further ado, Qin Jun strode out of Luoya Inn, pulling up the hood of his black robe.

Guan Yu and Daji did the same. As for Howling Celestial Dog, well, it was black whether it wore a robe or not.

Although the sky was still a bit dim, the streets were already packed with people.

"Daji, come into my arms. Be careful not to get taken advantage of."

Qin Jun pulled Daji into his embrace and said. Daji rolled her eyes but didn't resist. However, her delicate hand pinched the soft flesh of Qin Jun's waist, causing him to wince in pain.

Pain and pleasure!

I'll endure!

Qin Jun's mouth twitched as he tried to maintain a calm expression. Howling Celestial Dog's eyes curved with laughter.

"Youth is truly wonderful."

Guan Yu said with a smile, stroking his beard as he followed behind. It seemed he was constantly stroking his long beard, especially after Qin Jun bestowed him the title of Handsome Bearded Lord; it had become even more pronounced.

With a beauty in his arms, Qin Jun's mood was buoyant, and he wished they could just keep walking like this.

However, as soon as they rounded the next corner, Daji quickly pulled away from his embrace. Seeing Qin Jun reach out his "dog paw" again, Daji pouted, "Enough. Be careful, I'll cripple your hand."

As soon as she said that, Qin Jun's right hand retracted as if he had been electrocuted.

Alas, my strength is still too weak!

Qin Jun thought with grief and indignation. Daji in Investiture of the Gods was beautiful yet venomous. Although from their current interactions, Daji didn't seem as cruel and perverted as in the original work, he still held a trace of reverence in his heart.

Fortunately, Daji's loyalty to him had always been above ninety, and it even occasionally ticked upward.

For the rest of the journey, Qin Jun no longer dared to take advantage of Daji, and being too unrestrained in public wasn't a good look either.

The Vermilion Bird Stage was recently constructed and located in the center of the Royal Capital.

It took an hour to walk from Luoya Inn, which showed how large the Royal Capital was.

When Qin Jun and the others arrived at the Vermilion Bird Stage, following the crowd, the sky had completely brightened, and the sun hung high in the sky.

The Vermilion Bird Stage was a thousand meters long and wide, and one meter high. It was constructed from white jade rock, a special type of stone that was harder than ordinary rock. At a glance, it looked like a massive piece of white jade spread across the Royal Capital, quite magnificent.

To the north of the Vermilion Bird Stage stood a pavilion. It was already filled with powerful officials and generals from the court. A group of princes, represented by Qin Yu, sat in the second row. The first row had an empty dragon throne, clearly prepared for the current Emperor.

At the same time, half of the seats in the pavilion were still empty. In front of the steps stood a large plaque, engraved with the four characters "Cang Lan Kingdom."

"There are so many people. If we lose, the entire kingdom will be shamed."

Qin Jun sighed as he looked at the sea of people surrounding the Vermilion Bird Stage. Guan Yu didn't reply, his gaze fixed in another direction.

He saw the envoys of the Cang Lan Kingdom approaching, carrying four large sedan chairs. Soon, the other citizens and cultivators also noticed their arrival, and the previously noisy scene quickly fell silent.

"Interesting, the other side has sent three experts from the Mortal Transformation Realm!"

Guan Yu's lips curved upwards, and he said with a meaningful smile. Qin Jun's heart leaped in surprise, and his sword-like eyebrows furrowed instantly.

Three experts in the Mortal Transformation Realm? Has the Cang Lan Kingdom grown this powerful?

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Just then, a eunuch's voice reached everyone's ears. From the opposite direction of the Cang Lan Kingdom's envoys, a group of Imperial Guards approached. In the center was a gilded golden carriage, its roof inlaid with a luminous pearl the size of a basketball. Without needing to guess, one knew that only the Emperor could possess such grandeur within the Royal Capital.

"Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Countless commoners and cultivators alike knelt in unison, the scene incredibly spectacular, like rolling waves.

Qin Jun and the others also knelt on one knee. Cultivators didn't need to prostrate themselves like commoners. Although Guan Yu and Daji were experts in the Void Transformation Realm, the person before them was Qin Jun's father, the current Emperor. Kneeling on one knee to pay respects didn't elicit any aversion from them.

All the officials, generals, and royal relatives in the pavilions stood up and bowed. Kneeling in the pavilions was clearly impractical due to the cramped space.

The Imperial Guards and the Cang Lan Kingdom's contingent arrived at the front of the pavilion simultaneously. The duel hadn't even begun, yet the atmosphere was already charged with tension.

The curtain of the golden carriage was lifted, and a middle-aged man in dragon robes emerged. Though not burly, he exuded an aura of looking down upon the world. He wore a golden jade crown, his hands clasped behind his back, and he indifferently surveyed the commoners and cultivators around the Vermilion Bird Stage.

He was the current Emperor, the Dry Emperor.

Qin Jun's cheap father Emperor, Qin Gan.

"You haven't come down to pay your respects to His Majesty yet!"

A burly eunuch beside the golden carriage shouted in a high-pitched voice. His hair was white, but his face appeared young. He was the head eunuch of the Imperial Palace, Shen Yan, an expert in the Golden Core Realm.

Happy New Year! Wishing all my friends well and for all your wishes to come true. That's all for now.