What Exactly Happened

It was difficult to say.

It was hard to analyze.

Ding Ling did not think much of it. He merely felt that it was necessary to accelerate his efforts to unify the Nine Provinces.

After all, experts were emerging in this world one after another, and their numbers were increasing. To avoid unforeseen complications, improving himself as soon as possible was the true path.

Ding Ling rose to his feet.

He prepared to make a trip to the Imperial Palace.

As for the Ascenders who continued arriving to pledge allegiance, Ding Ling had someone pass word to Nie Feng and You Ruo and let them handle it.

Those who were reliable and highly skilled could all be accepted.

Ding Ling arrived at the Imperial Palace.

The Imperial Palace was extremely luxurious, several times more imposing and grand than Xiong Ba's Underworld Society.

Walking through it, he felt as though he had entered a wondrous land of precious treasures.

Recalling the original novel's description of the current emperor, Ding Ling understood.

The novel had criticized the current state of the world more than once, either directly or indirectly, saying that the emperor neglected state affairs and behaved absurdly.

With such an emperor,

it was understandable that the Imperial Palace would be so splendid as to dazzle the eyes.

But...

"Is the Imperial Palace really this quiet?"

Ding Ling walked along the corridors between the towers and jade buildings. The clatter of his footsteps rang throughout the area, but aside from that, it was as though all sound had vanished. One could hear a pin drop.

"Could something unexpected have happened?"

Ding Ling's brow twitched.

He used the Soaring to Immortality Steps and Ground Shrinking Step. In the blink of an eye, his figure had already traveled a hundred yards away.